INHIBITORY EFFECTS OF HYDROQUINONE-ALPHA- GLUCOSIDE ON MELANIN SYNTHESIS

Inhibitory effects of hydroquinone-alpha-glucoside (HQ-alpha-G) on the melanogenesis were investigated and compared with those of arbutin. T he levels of inhibitory effects of HQ-alpha-G and arbutin on the tyros inase activity were nearly the same. Inhibitory effects of both compou nds on the melanogenesis, were studied using cultured B16 melanoma cel ls, and HQ-alpha-G was also found to have a similar effect to that of arbutin without inhibiting cell growth. In this experiment, while HQ-a lpha-G hardly inhibited cell growth at 1 mM, arbutin inhibit it signif icantly at the same concentration. From these results it is suggested that HQ-alpha-G as well as arbutin inhibited the melanogenesis by affe cting tyrosinase rather than by killing melanocytes. Furthermore, the melanogenesis of guineapigs with brown hair was reduced to about 80% b y applying them each compound The great differences in toxicity to nor mal human keratinocyte were not recognized between these two glucoside s. It is, therefore, considered that HQ-alpha-G is an effective and sa fe ingredient for cosmetics.