4‐Hexylresorcinol, a Potent Inhibitor of Mushroom Tyrosinase

ABSTRACT 4‐hexylresorcinol (4HR) was a potent inhibitor of mushroom tyrosinase in crude extracts, causing 90% loss of activity at 100 μM. The concentration of 4HR needed to cause 50% inhibition (I 50 ) was = 5 μM. Partially purified tyrosinase was inhibited by lower concentrations of 4HR and was characterized with an I 50 of = 1 μM. Electro‐phoretic analysis, coupled with isoenzyme staining in the presence and absence of 4HR, showed inhibition of tyrosinase isoforms but not of laccase isoforms.