ArticleCureus2025
Comparative Efficacy of Skin-Lightening Formulations in Suppressing Ultraviolet B (UVB)-Induced Arachidonic Acid, Alpha-Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone (α-MSH), and Melanin Expression: An In Vitro Keratinocyte-Melanocyte Co-culture Study.
Article in Cureus, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Beyond the boundaries of pigmentation and inflammation: understanding the mechanistic basis of melasma-rosacea comorbidity.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMelasma is a chronic hyperpigmentary disorder exacerbated by sun exposure, characterized by asymptomatic hyperpigmented macules and patches. Its pathogenesis involves ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced activation of melanogenesis pathways, including arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism, alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) secretion, and melanin synthesis. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a multi-ingredient skin-lightening formulation (3% tranexamic acid, 2% ascorbyl glucoside, 2.5% arbutin, and 5% niacinamide) compared to a 10% vitamin C preparation and 4% hydroquinone (HQ) in suppressing UVB-induced AA, α-MSH, and melanin production in a keratinocyte-melanocyte co-culture model.
methodsKeratinocyte-melanocyte co-cultures were pretreated with the multi-ingredient formulation, 10% vitamin C, or 4% HQ before UVB irradiation (150 mJ/cm
resultsUVB irradiation significantly increased AA (4.3-fold), α-MSH (3.7-fold), and melanin (2.6-fold) levels compared to unirradiated cells (all p < 0.001). All tested formulations reduced AA levels compared to the negative control (p < 0.001), with the multi-ingredient formulation demonstrating superior efficacy over both 10% vitamin C and 4% HQ (p < 0.001). Only the multi-ingredient formulation significantly suppressed α-MSH levels (p < 0.001). Regarding melanin reduction, the multi-ingredient formulation achieved comparable efficacy to 4% HQ but outperformed 10% vitamin C (p < 0.05).
conclusionThe multi-ingredient formulation demonstrated superior efficacy in reducing UVB-induced AA and α-MSH levels while achieving comparable melanin reduction to 4% HQ. These results are consistent with the prevailing consensus that effective melasma management necessitates a multifaceted approach that concurrently targets multiple mechanisms.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.