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Whitening effect of l-ascorbate-2-phosphate trisodium salt on solar lentigos

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Abstract

Little is known about the anti-pigmenting effects of whitening agents on solar lentigos (SLs), which comprise ~ 60% of hyperpigmented facial lesions of Asian subjects. Lotions with or without 6% l-ascorbate-2-phosphate trisodium salt (APS) [test lotion (TL) and placebo lotion (PL), respectively] were applied twice daily for 24 weeks in a double-blind half-face study of 27 Japanese females with SLs on both sides of their faces. Pigmentation scores were evaluated using a photo-scale and the skin colors were assessed using a color difference meter and a mexameter for SLs and the non-lesional surrounding skin (NLS). Although the pigmentation scores were not significantly different between the TL and PL-treated SLs after 24 weeks, the L values of TL-treated SLs and NLS increased significantly with a significantly higher △L value in SLs than in NLS. In contrast, the L values of PL-treated SLs and NLS remained unchanged after the treatment. The number of subjects with > 2.0 △L was 7 of 27 (TL) and 0 of 27 (PL) in SLs and 3 of 27 (TL) and 0 of 27 (PS) in NLS. In contrast, the melanin index in TL-treated SLs and NLS significantly decreased with a significantly higher △melanin index in SLs than in NLS. Similarly, the melanin index of PL-treated SLs and NLS were significantly decreased with a significantly higher △melanin index in SLs than in NLS. These findings strongly indicate that APS has a weak but significant anti-pigmenting effect on SLs and a significant whitening effect even on normally pigmented healthy skin.

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Abbreviations

SLs:

Solar lentigos

APS:

l-Ascorbate-2-phosphate trisodium salt

AMP:

l-Ascorbate-2-phosphate Mg

EDN:

Endothelin

SCF:

Stem cell factor

NLS:

Non-lesional surrounding skin

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Author information

Author notes

  1. Yuko Ishikawa and Takao Niwano contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. ToutVert Co. Ltd, Osaka, Japan

    Yuko Ishikawa & Shinichi Hirano

  2. Center for Bioscience Research and Education, Utsunomiya University, 350 Mine Utsunomiya, Tochigi, 321-8505, Japan

    Takao Niwano & Genji Imokawa

  3. Quines Square Dermatological Clinic, Kanagawa, Japan

    Kayoko Numano

  4. Ebisu Skin Research Center, Inforward Co. LTD, Tokyo, Japan

    Kazunori Takasima

  5. Research Institute for Biological Functions, Chubu University, Aichi, Japan

    Genji Imokawa

Authors
  1. Yuko Ishikawa
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  2. Takao Niwano
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  3. Shinichi Hirano
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  4. Kayoko Numano
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  5. Kazunori Takasima
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  6. Genji Imokawa
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Correspondence to Genji Imokawa.

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Ishikawa, Y., Niwano, T., Hirano, S. et al. Whitening effect of l-ascorbate-2-phosphate trisodium salt on solar lentigos. Arch Dermatol Res 311, 183–191 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-019-01892-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-019-01892-2

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