Down-regulation of melanin synthesis and transfer by paeonol and its mechanisms.

Down-regulation of melanin synthesis and\or melanin transfer are/is required for recovery of pigmentary disorders. It is known that direct inhibitors of tyrosinase, the key enzyme in melanin synthesis, such as hydroquinone with a phenol structure, suppress melanin synthesis. We screened some herbal monomers using human melanocytes and found that paeonol, a major phenolic component of Moutan Cortex, down-regulated melanin synthesis.

[Itraconazole in the treatment of superficial candidal infections: twelve years' clinical experience].

Itraconazole has been used to treat superficial candidal infections in China for 12 years with promising efficacy and safety. This article retrospectively reviewed literatures published in the mainstream journals in China with an attempt to find a reasonable therapy for Chinese populations.