Chapter 5 - Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation vs. progressive macular hypomelanosis and their solutions from natural products

Abstract

Abstract Pigmentary disorders can either be in the case of hyperpigmentation, the overproduction of melanin, or hypopigmentation, the under-production of melanin. Pigmentary disorders have been associated with several factors, such as ultraviolet light exposure, trauma to the skin, chemical exposure, genetic factors, autoimmune responses, damage to the cells due to reactive oxygen species, allergic reactions, malnutrition or fungal infections, however, the effect of skin bacteria has not vastly been explored. A link between the well-known skin commensal, Cutibacterium acnes, and pigmentary disorders has been found. C. acnes acts as an opportunistic pathogen via bacterial seeding resulting in either post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation or progressive macular hypomelanosis. To find a possible treatment for the aforementioned pigmentary disorders associated with C. acnes, medicinal plants and their assortment of compounds were investigated. There are several natural products with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities, such as pycnogenol, glabridin, isoliquiritin, licochalcone A and liquiritin. The products reported for their stimulatory effect on melanogenesis include 8-methoxypsoralen and 5-methoxypsoralen, cytokinins, especially 6-benzylaminopurine and the alkaloid compound piperine or more specifically 1-piperoylpiperidine or synthetic derivatives thereof. Understanding how the chemical constituents and their structures affect melanogenesis, the development of future natural products for pigmentary disorders could be target-specific, making them more effective.