IACES News about Sciences and Health Specialities

 An Herbal Alternative to Creams for Pale Skin

By SINDYA N. BHANOO

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all? 

In some Asian cultures, snow-white skin is considered a sign of beauty, and many women resort to lightening creams that can have destructive side effects. 

Some of them cause itching, redness and inflammation; others contain potent steroids that can cause serious damage over time. And still others contain mercury, which is poisonous. 

Now, Taiwanese researchers claim that an ancient Chinese herb used in traditional medicine might allow those in search of snowy white skin a way to inhibit the production of melanin. 

The scientists are reporting their findings on Tuesday at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in Anaheim, Calif. 

The Chinese herb, which comes from the bush Cinnamomum subavenium, appears to be safer than whitening creams, the researchers say. It is a close relative of the cinnamon tree and contains two chemicals that are able to block tyrosinase, which generates melanin. 

Since melanin is the pigment that causes coloring of the skin, hair and eyes, inhibiting tyrosinase is one strategy to whiten skin, said the lead author, Hui-Min Wang, a scientist at Kaohsiung Medical University in Taiwan. 

Dr. Wang and his colleagues tested the chemicals on zebra fish embryos. Exposure to the chemicals reduced melanin production in the fish by about 50 percent in four days, and the embryos lost their stripes and turned white. 

However, just because the chemicals are natural and plant-derived doesn’t mean that they are safe for human use. 

Although they appear to be nontoxic in low doses, researchers will be conducting sensitivity, allergy and toxicity tests. 

The project has received financing from the government of Taiwan and support from cosmetic companies. 

Source: The New York Times