Kojic acid is a fungal metabolite that inhibits tyrosinase, an enzyme involved in melanin synthesis, with an IC50 value of 30.6 ?M for mushroom tyrosinase.1 It decreases growth of Leishmania parasites in vitro and in vivo, and it protects mice from damage induced by gamma irradiation.2,3 Kojic acid has been used as a food additive to prevent enzymatic browning.4 Formulations containing kojic acid are used in the treatment of hyperpigmentation disorders.5
1.Lee, Y.S., Park, J.H., Kim, M.H., et al.Synthesis of tyrosinase inhibitory kojic acid derivativeArch. Pharm. (Weinheim)339(3)111-114(2006) 2.Rodrigues, A.P., Farias, L.H., Carvalho, A.S., et al.A novel function for kojic acid, a secondary metabolite from Aspergillus fungi, as antileishmanial agentPLoS One9(3)e91259(2014) 3.Wang, K., Liu, C., Di, C.-J., et al.Kojic acid protects C57BL/6 mice from gamma-irradiation induced damageAsian Pac. J. Cancer Prev.15(1)291-297(2014) 4.Burdock, G.A., Soni, M.G., and Carabin, I.G.Evaluation of health aspects of kojic acid in foodRegul. Toxicol. Pharmacol.33(1)80-101(2001) 5.Kim, Y.M., Yun, J., Lee, C.K., et al.Oxyresveratrol and hydroxystilbene compounds. Inhbitory effect on tyrosinase and mechanism of actionJ. Biol. Chem.277(18)16340-16344(2002)