To discover safe and effective topical skin-lightening agents, we have evaluated 
alkyl esters of the natural product gentisic acid (GA), which is related to our 
lead compound methyl gentisate (MG), and four putative tyrosinase inhibitors, 
utilizing mammalian melanocyte cell cultures and cell-free extracts. Desirable 
characteristics include the ability to inhibit melanogenesis in cells (IC50 < 
100 microg/mL) without cytotoxicity, preferably due to tyrosinase inhibition. Of 
the six esters synthesized, the smaller esters (e.g. methyl and ethyl) were more 
effective enzyme inhibitors (IC50 approximately 11 and 20 microg/mL, 
respectively). For comparison, hydroquinone (HQ), a commercial skin "bleaching" 
agent, was a less effective enzyme inhibitor (IC50 approximately 72 microg/mL), 
and was highly cytotoxic to melanocytes in vitro at concentrations substantially 
lower than the IC50 for enzymatic inhibition. Kojic acid was a potent inhibitor 
of the mammalian enzyme (IC50 approximately 6 microg/mL), but did not reduce 
pigmentation in cells. Both arbutin and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate were 
ineffective in the cell-free and cell-based assays. MG at 100 microg/mL 
exhibited a minimal inhibitory effect on DHICA oxidase (TRP 1) and no effect on 
DOPAchrome tautomerase (TRP-2), suggesting that MG inhibits melanogenesis 
primarily via tyrosinase inhibition. MG and GA were non-mutagenic at the hprt 
locus in V79 Chinese hamster cells, whereas HQ was highly mutagenic and 
cytotoxic. The properties of MG in vitro, including (1) pigmentation inhibition 
in melanocytes, (2) tyrosinase inhibition and selectivity, (3) reduced 
cytotoxicity relative to HQ, and (4) lack of mutagenic potential in mammalian 
cells, establish MG as a superior candidate skin-lightening agent.