Ando H, Ryu A, Hashimoto A, Oka M, Ichihashi M
Department of Dermatology, Kobe University School of Medicine, Japan.
Arch Dermatol Res. 1998 Jul;290(7):375-81. doi: 10.1007/s004030050320.
This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of unsaturated fatty acids on ultraviolet-induced hyperpigmentation of the skin. An efficient lightening effect was observed following topical application of linoleic acid or alpha-linolenic acid to UV-stimulated hyperpigmented dorsal skin of brownish guinea pigs. The number of melanocytes in the treated skin was similar to the number in the skin of the pigmented control, indicating that the pigment-lightening effect was not due to depletion of melanocytes. In vitro experiments using cultured murine melanoma cells showed that melanin production was inhibited most effectively by alpha-linolenic acid, followed by linoleic acid and then by oleic acid. Furthermore, the turnover of the stratum corneum, which plays an important role in the removal of melanin pigment from the epidermis, was accelerated by linoleic acid and by alpha-linolenic acid. Taken together, the results suggest that the pigment-lightening effects of linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid are, at least in part, due to suppression of melanin production by active melanocytes, and to enhanced desquamation of melanin pigment from the epidermis.
本研究旨在评估不饱和脂肪酸对紫外线诱导的皮肤色素沉着过度的影响。在对棕色豚鼠受紫外线刺激而色素沉着过度的背部皮肤局部应用亚油酸或α-亚麻酸后，观察到了显著的美白效果。处理后皮肤中黑素细胞的数量与色素沉着对照组皮肤中的数量相似，这表明色素减轻效果并非由于黑素细胞的减少。使用培养的小鼠黑色素瘤细胞进行的体外实验表明，α-亚麻酸对黑色素生成的抑制作用最为有效，其次是亚油酸，然后是油酸。此外，亚油酸和α-亚麻酸可加速角质层的更替，而角质层更替在从表皮去除黑色素色素方面起着重要作用。综上所述，结果表明亚油酸和α-亚麻酸的色素减轻作用至少部分归因于活性黑素细胞对黑色素生成的抑制，以及表皮黑色素色素脱屑的增强。
