MELANIN FORMATION INHIBITOR AND PREPARATION FOR EXTERNAL APPLICATION

摘要

Disclosed is a melanin formation inhibitor which is safe and has a high activity. More specifically, the melanin formation inhibitor contains a compound having a germacrone-like skeleton represented by chemical formula (1) as an active ingredient.  The compound can be produced by the purification from a plant such as a zedoary plant (Curcuma zedoaria Roscoe (Zingiberaceae)) or a turmeric plant (Curcuma longa [syn. C. domestica]), and has a melanin formation inhibitory activity 400 times higher than that of arbutin.  The melanin formation inhibitor can be added, together with an additive such as a surfactant, a pH-adjusting agent, a water-soluble polymer, an antioxidant agent and a moisturizing agent, to a base material for a cosmetic or a pharmaceutical external preparation (wherein the base material comprises various types of oily raw materials, water, an alcohol, a polyhydric alcohol or the like) in such an amount that the content of the melanin formation inhibitor in the cosmetic or preparation becomes 0.000001 to 1.0%.