MELANIN PRODUCTION INHIBITORY AGENT

摘要

[PROBLEMS] To provide a skin-whitening agent, a skin-whitening cosmetic, a skin-whitening food and a composition for oral use having sustained, excellent melanin production inhibitory effect or skin whitening effect. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] A melanin production inhibitory agent comprising one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of hibiscus acid and hibiscus acid derivatives represented by the general formula (1) and salts thereof as the active ingredient(s); and a skin-whitening agent, a skin-whitening cosmetic, a skin-whitening food or a composition for oral use comprising the melanin production inhibitory agent as the active ingredient. (1) wherein R¹ and R² independently represent a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group or a benzyl group.