Inhibitory Effect of 2-Aza-8-oxohypoxanthine on Tyrosinase Activity and Melanin Production

A fairy chemical, 2-aza-8-oxohypoxanthine, has exhibited broad effects on skin barrier function, leading to its launch as a cosmetic ingredient. A clinical trial on a lotion containing 0.1% 2-aza-8-oxohypoxanthine demonstrated the ability of this chemical to increase skin lightness based on the analysis of L* values. In the present study, to elucidate the mechanism underlying the increase in skin lightness, we aimed to investigate the effect of 2-aza-8-oxohypoxanthine on murine melanoma cell lines, focusing on its influence on tyrosinase activity and melanin production. Our findings revealed that the addition of 2-aza-8-oxohypoxanthine inhibited tyrosinase activity by 13% compared with the untreated control. Similarly, melanin production was suppressed by 36% compared with the control. These results strongly suggest that the inhibition of tyrosinase effectively suppressed melanin production. Thus, 2-aza-8-oxohypoxanthine acts by inhibiting tyrosinase and melanin production to promote skin lightening. This study provides novel insights into the skin-lightening mechanism of 2-aza-8-oxohypoxanthine, demonstrating its ability to inhibit melanin production through the suppression of pro-inflammatory factors, thereby highlighting its potential as an effective cosmetic ingredient for lightening skin tone.