Abstract
The effects of vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid), L-cysteine and vitamin E (d-α-tocopherol succinate) on skin pigmentation were studied using brownish guinea pigs. While exposure of the depilated backs of brownish guinea pigs to mid-ultraviolet (UV-B) radiation decreased the luminosity score and increased the number of DOPA-positive melanocytes, oral administration of vitamin C with L-cysteine significantly inhibited the decrease of luminosity score and also decreased the number of DOPA-positive melanocytes. When vitamin C, L-cysteine and vitamin E were simultaneously administered to the guinea pigs, the inhibitory effect was stronger than when vitamin E was omitted. Single administration of vitamin C produced no significant inhibition. These results show that oral administration of vitamin C, L-cysteine and vitamin E is effective for inhibiting the melanogenesis induced by UV-B exposure.
