Kojic acid, also known as aspergillic acid and kojic acid, is a melanin-specific inhibitor. After entering the skin cells, it can complex with the copper ions in the cells, change the three-dimensional structure of tyrosinase, prevent the activation of tyrosinase, and thus inhibit the formation of melanin.
Kojic acid whitening active agents have better tyrosinase inhibition effects than other whitening active agents. It does not act on other biological enzymes in the cells and has no toxic effect on cells. At the same time, it can enter the intercellular matrix to form intercellular colloid, which plays a role in retaining water and increasing skin elasticity. It has been formulated into various cosmetics to make whitening cosmetics for freckles, age spots, pigmentation and acne.
Kojic acid also has the functions of scavenging free radicals, enhancing cell vitality, and preserving food color, and is widely used in the fields of medicine and food.
The Function of Kojic Acid
1. Application in the field of cosmetics. In human skin, tyrosine, under the catalysis of tyrosinase, undergoes complex oxidation and polymerization with oxygen free radicals, and finally synthesizes melanin. Kojic acid can inhibit the synthesis of tyrosinase, thus strongly inhibiting the formation of skin melanin. It is safe and non-toxic, and will not produce sequelae of white spots. Therefore, kojic acid has been formulated into lotions, facial masks, lotions, and skin creams to make high-end whitening cosmetics that can effectively treat freckles, age spots, pigmentation, acne, etc. Kojic acid at a concentration of 20ug/ml can inhibit 70-80% of the activity of various tyrosinases (or polyphenol oxidase PPO), and the general addition amount in cosmetics is 0.5-2.0%.
2. Food processing field. Kojic acid can be used as a food additive to play a role in preservation, antiseptic and antioxidant. Experiments have shown that kojic acid can inhibit the conversion of sodium nitrite in bacon into carcinogenic nitrosamines, and the addition of kojic acid to food will not affect the taste, aroma and texture of the food; kojic acid is also the raw material for the production of maltol and ethyl maltol. In food processing, kojic acid has a wide range of applications.
3. Medical field. Since kojic acid has no mutagenic effect on eukaryotic cells, and can eliminate free radicals in the human body, enhance the power of white blood cells, and is beneficial to human health, kojic acid has been used as a raw material for cephalosporin antibiotics. The finished drugs produced are used to treat headaches, toothaches, local inflammation and other diseases, and the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects are very ideal.
4. In the field of agriculture. Kojic acid can be used to produce biological pesticides. Biological micro-fertilizers (deep red liquid) made by adding 0.5-1.0% kojic acid can be sprayed as foliar fertilizer at low concentrations or made into growth and yield-increasing agents for root application. This crop production promoter has a significant yield-increasing effect on grains and vegetables.
5. In other fields. Kojic acid can also be used as an iron analysis reagent, film spot remover, etc.
Contact Now
