MECHANISM OF ACTION:
O PREVENTS PRODUCTION OF NEW MELANIN, BUT DOES NOT ERASE PREVIOUSLY DEPOSITED PIGMENTATION.
O MELANOCYTES ALSO BECOME NON - DENDRITIC WITH DECREASED MELANIN CONTENT WHICH MAY ALSO RESULT IN DECREASED TRANSPORT OF THE MELANOSOMES TO THE KERATINOCYTES.
O IT MAY INVOLVE THE RAPID FORMATION OF AN ENZYME INHIBITOR COMPLEX THAT UNDERGOES A RELATIVELY SLOW REVERSIBLE REACTION.
O IT IS ALSO A FREE RADICAL SCAVENGER
O MAY PLAY A ROLE IN LIMITING THE UV DAMAGE WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS IN ETIOLOGY OF MELASMA AND ALSO PRECIPITATES HYPERPIGMENTATION.