Desired
skin colour is a major unmet
consumer need around the world and especially in Asia. Consumers particularly desire even
skin colour, absence of age spots (solar lentigines), absence of
hyperpigmentation and lighter overall
skin tone. One solution is to use biological actives that reduce the activity of
melanocyte cells in skin. These cells, present in the basal layer of the epidermis, make the dark coloured
pigment melanin and export it, in small export vesicles called melanosomes, to the neighbouring keratinocytes. It is well described in the literature that compounds which reduce
melanin synthesis when topically applied to the skin will reduce skin
darkness over time and can generate a more even
skin tone.
Tyrosinase is a very popular target for the regulation of
melanocyte pigment production. However effective inhibitors of
tyrosinase are bedevilled by safety issues causing, for example,
melanocyte cell death, permanent
depigmentation,
irritation and allergic reactions. Often effective inhibitors kill melanocytes (for example
hydroquinone) or cause sensitisation reactions. There is therefore a great need for safe and effective inhibitors of
skin pigment production that work through an alternative safe mechanism. The inventors have observed that selected compounds of the same generic structure: or a salt thereof; wherein R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 may be independently selected from the group consisting of —H, -
halide, and methyl, ethyl, propyl, iso-propyl, butyl, and t-butyl moieties, inhibit
melanin production in Melanoderms™.