Abstract

The process of melanogenesis can be induced byendogenous and exogenous stimuli, primarily UV irradiation.The rate-limiting step in both pathways is the hydroxylationand oxidation of tyrosine by tyrosinase. Although saturatedfatty acids, such as palmitic acid can activatemelanogenesis, unsaturated fatty acids, such as oleic andlinoleic acid, suppress pigmentation in vitro and in vivo byinhibiting melanin synthesis, stimulating tyrosinaseubiquitination, and proteolytic degradation of tyrosinase.Fatty acids and amino acids are found in abundance inwine cake and sake lees. Studies have shown that those twoproducts can inhibit tyrosinase activity and reduce melanincontent in the stratum basale, indicating that wine cake andsake lees are potential skin-whitening agents. In this reviewarticle, we present an overview of the mechanisms ofmelanogenesis, the mechanisms of action of biological andchemical depigmentation agents, the effects of fatty acidson hyperpigmentation, the effects of linoleic acid on the skin,and the potential of wine cake as a depigmentation agent.