Wen-Yuan Zhu
Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, P. R. China
Ru-Zhi Zhang
Department of Dermatology, The Affiliated Hospital, BangBu Medical College, BangBu, P. R. China
The ideal depigmentating compound should have a potent, rapid, and selective bleaching effect on hyperactivated melanocytes, carry no short – or long-term side effects, and lead to a permanent removal of undesired pigment. Depigmentation can be achieved by regulating (i) the transcription and activity of tyrosinase, tyrosinase related protein-1 (TRP-1), tyrosinase related protein-2 (TRP-2), and/or peroxidase, (ii) the uptake and distribution of melanosomes in recipient keratinocytes, and (iii) melanin and melanosome degradation and turnover of “pigmented keratinocytes” (1).