Hey Gorgeous! Iām back with the second part of the educational series on various tyrosinase inhibitors + their pathways.
If you havenāt checked out the first part yet, hop onto my profile to view it.
Weāll learn about how the most popular OTC ātyrosinase inhibitorsā on the market work, and what they bring onto the table beyond this.
Letās begin!
1. VITAMIN C
The man. The myth. The legend.
Pretty PRETTY sure more than 95% of us here had started our detanning, or depigmentation journey with this bad boy here, me included.
A jack of all trades to the T (weāll talk about itās zones of mastery some other day lmao). It tackles melanogenesis at more than one stages, not only at the tyrosinase inhibition one. (Check out my post on the melanin cycle on my profile for more information)
First, as we already know, it works as an amazing anti-oxidant, tackling the production of melanin at the first base. Boosts the effectiveness of your sunscreen too. Add in pycnogenol to the mix and now you have one of the most powerful antioxidant combos out there to seize the day!
Oxidative stress on skin = Increased Inflammation = Triggered melanocytes = Increased melanin production
When it comes to the actual tyrosinase inhibition stage, it works in two significant ways.
A. As we discussed in the first part, Vitamin C interferes with copper ions in the tyrosinase enzyme. Think of the copper ions as the machinery parts and bits of the tyrosinase enzyme. Without them itās now basically defunct.
B. Itās antioxidant activity goes beyond the surface level. In simple words, in the entire process that leads to the production of melanin, the various intermediate steps go through an oxidation process. Vitamin C, being a strong antioxidant, deters that.
2. KOJIC ACID
This dude here has mastered the art of dismantling the copper ions in the tyrosinase enzyme. For further information on this, kindly refer to the first part.
3. ALPHA ARBUTIN
This is a gentle derivative of the PRESCRIPTION ONLY baddie HQ. Gentle doesnāt mean ineffective. Gives beautiful results in its own sweet time.
Its significant pathways include:
A. Directly interacting with tyrosinase to decrease its effectiveness during the conversion process of tyrosine to melanin.
B. Pretends to be a substance tyrosinase interacts with. (Refer to part 1 for more info)
C. Destabilisation of the copper ions (not its strength though)
4. TRANEXAMIC ACID
It doesnāt work the classic way. Its job lies right before the tyrosinase inhibition stage.
In simple words, UV or Inflammation of any other sort leads to signals being sent to the melanocytes to start off with the process of melanogenesis. Melanogenesis is the process in which melanocytes produce melanin. Tranexamic acid cuts off this very signal. Thatās its superpower.
5. THIAMIDOL
This one fits the basic job description of a classic tyrosinase inhibitor well. Its most significant pathaway is directly dealing with tyrosinase 1v1 and decreasing its effectiveness.
6. NIACINAMIDE
It isnāt a tyrosinase inhibitor per se. Its superpower lies in preventing the melanin transfer from the melanocytes to the surface of our skin. (Please refer to the melanin cycle post for more info)
7. 4-N-BUTYLRESORCINOL
It belongs to the same resorcinol family as Thiamidol, but has a small edge over it.
Beyond the classic direct inhibition method, it also pretends to be a substance Tyrosinase interacts with. (Check part 1 for more info)
8. AZELAIC ACID
Another jack of all trades!
Anti-inflammatory powers + Tyrosinase Inhibition + Anti-bacterial properties + much more. No wonder derms LOVE this for acne. But weāll stick to one topic today.
It tackles melanogenesis at multiple stages too! At stage 1, it reduces inflammation, leading to PIH prevention.
Its superpower lies in tackling abnormal melanogenic activity. In simple words, it helps calm down hyperactive melanocytes, helping balance out melanin production. (Great for melasma & PIH for this very reason)
While it also directly deals with Tyrosinase to inhibit it + has antioxidant roles in the melanogenesis process, but its strength lies in calming the abnormal melanocytes down.
Well, I guess thatās it for the day! š¤āØ