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hydroquinone (pigmentasa / pigmentasa)

✓ Approved

Vinas · Small Molecule · Small Molecule

What is hydroquinone?

hydroquinone is a small molecule developed by Vinas. It is approved for therapeutic indications via topical.

Drug Profile

Brand Namespigmentasa, pigmentasa
CompanyVinas
Drug ClassSmall Molecule
RouteTopical
StatusApproved
Sources: ClinicalTrials.gov, Vinas

Therapeutic Indications

hydroquinone is developed for 2 unique indications across 1 therapeutic area.

Therapeutic AreaConditionPhase
Skin and subcutaneous tissue disordersChloasma✓ Approved
Skin and subcutaneous tissue disordersSkin hyperpigmentation✓ Approved

Related Research Articles

PubMedBiosensors & bioelectronics2026-07-25

A novel hydroquinone-based chemiluminescent biosensing platform for ultrasensitive sensing of α-glucosidase activity.

Zhang Heng H, Huang Yanyan Y, Xu Jiaxin J, Liang Yaru Y et al.

Due to the limitations of the traditional chemiluminescence (CL) mechanism, the currently reported enzyme-catalyzed CL systems suffered from the complex system design and the addition of catalysts and oxidizing agents. Herein, a novel hydroquinone-based CL biosensing platform was developed for the first time, in which the designed substrate S-(4-chlorophenyl) 10-methyl-9,10-dihydroacridine-9-carbothioate (CMDA) could directly react with hydroquinone to produce strong CL in the presence of sodium decylsulfonate. Notably, the rationally designed CL platform did not require catalysts or oxidizing agents. As a proof-of-concept application, the proposed CL platform was employed to monitor α-glucosidase activity in serum samples and evaluate the inhibitory effects of α-glucosidase inhibitors by using α-arbutin as the substrate. The proposed CL platform with easy preparation and simple operation displayed remarkable sensing capability for α-glucosidase with a detection limit of 0.003 U/L. This study not only provided important insights for simplifying the design of CL platform but also provoked the exploration of novel CL substrates as versatile tools in clinical diagnosis.

PMID 42497548
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PubMedCase reports in dermatology2026-07-25

High-Potency Depigmenting Mask Delivered via 1,927-nm Fractional Laser in Refractory Melasma: A Pilot Case Series.

Piquero-Casals Jaime J, Mir-Bonafé Juan Francisco JF, Rozas-Muñoz Eduardo E, Piquero-Casals Vanesa V et al.

Melasma is a chronic, relapsing hyperpigmentation disorder and may remain refractory despite multiple topical agents and procedural approaches. We report a case series of six women with Fitzpatrick skin types III-V and longstanding, treatment-resistant facial melasma managed with a multimodal protocol consisting of (1) a 16-week home regimen (twice-daily depigmenting cosmeceutical serum and daily high-protection sunscreen) and (2) two sessions of low-energy, low-density 1,927-nm fractional thulium laser at 4-week intervals, immediately followed by laser-assisted delivery of a compounded depigmenting mask (hydroquinone, retinoic acid, kojic acid, triamcinolone acetonide, vitamins C and E). Clinical response was assessed using the Melasma Severity Scale (MSS), standardized photography, and patient satisfaction. At week 16, all patients improved: 4 achieved >75% clinical improvement and 2 achieved 50-75% improvement, with high satisfaction and no significant adverse events beyond transient darkening and mild desquamation. Clinical benefits remained stable 12 weeks after the final laser session. This case series suggests that 1,927-nm fractional thulium laser-assisted delivery of a high-potency depigmenting compound, supported by topical priming and strict photoprotection, may be a feasible option for selected patients with refractory melasma.

PMID 42499700
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PubMedMedicine2026-07-25

Performance of DeepSeek V3 and ChatGPT-4o in answering esophageal cancer-related questions.

Yang Qian Q, Yi Jing J, Gong Anran A, Li Yanyan Y et al.

Esophageal cancer remains a significant global health issue. ChatGPT-4o and DeepSeek V3 can provide the public with health-related knowledge about esophageal cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of DeepSeek V3 and ChatGPT-4o in responding to health knowledge questions related to esophageal cancer. Fifty-two questions related to esophageal cancer were classified into themes of basic knowledge, diagnosis and molecular biology, management of local and locoregional diseases, management of advanced and metastatic diseases, clinical case analysis and patient frequently asked questions (FAQs). These questions were entered into DeepSeek V3 and ChatGPT-4o to obtain responses, and 2 experienced gastroenterologists independently evaluated the accuracy and temporal stability of each response. Overall, the scores of DeepSeek V3 and ChatGPT-4o on all questions were 4 (3-4), and there was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups. The final scores of DeepSeek V3 in basic knowledge, diagnosis and molecular biology, management of local and locoregional diseases, management of advanced and metastatic diseases, clinical case analysis, and FAQs were 4 (3-4), 4 (3-4), 4 (3-4), 3 (3-4), 4 (4-4), and 4 (4-4), respectively, while the scores of ChatGPT-4o were 4 (3-4), 3 (2-4), 4 (3-4), 3 (3-4), 4 (4-4), and 4 (4-4), respectively. For temporal stability across 2 independent test runs, DeepSeek V3 presented inconsistent responses on 2 questions, and ChatGPT-4o on 1 question; no statistically significant differences were found in overall and subgroup scores between the 2 runs for both models (all P > .05). ChatGPT-4o and DeepSeek V3 showed favorable accuracy and comprehensive responses to most of the 52 esophageal cancer-related questions in this study, but our findings do not confirm their general reliability for esophageal cancer health information in routine clinical or public use.

PMID 42499121
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PubMedTurkish journal of medical sciences2026-07-25

A high FIB-4 score may be an early sign of severe liver involvement in patients with primary antibody deficiencies.

Muşabak Hacı Uğur HU, Erdoğan Tuba T, Özbek Emre E, Durak Anşin Dudu Merve DM et al.

Liver damage is a significant complication that increases mortality and morbidity in primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs). Although biopsy is the gold standard, the fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) scoring system is a noninvasive method for diagnosing liver fibrosis. In this study, we investigated the value of the FIB-4 score as an early indicator of liver damage in patients with primary antibody deficiencies (PADs). Of 52 patients, 40 had common variable immunodeficiency (CVID), 12 had immunoglobulin G subclass deficiency (IgG-SGD), and they were enrolled in the study. Patients were divided into hematology, rheumatology + dermatology, gastroenterology/hepatology, and respiratory diseases groups based on their clinical phenotypes. FIB-4 score calculation and transient elastography were used to detect liver complications. FIB-4 scores were significantly higher in CVID patients than in those with SGD (p = 0.003), and were also elevated in PAD patients with hematology and gastroenterology/hepatology phenotypes compared with rheumatology + dermatology and respiratory phenotypes (p < 0.001). In the gastroenterology/hepatology group patients, FIB-4 scores showed a strong positive correlation with elastography values (r = 0.825, p < 0.001). FIB-4 and elastography showed moderate to good agreement (κ = 0.41-0.60) for detecting significant fibrosis, and FIB-4 was also a valuable indicator in high-risk patients (≥3.25). This study is the first to show that FIB-4 may serve as a practical and noninvasive indicator of liver damage in PADs.

PMID 42499436
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PubMedMedicine2026-07-25

Association between vitamin B6 metabolism and the prevalence of age-related macular degeneration: A cross-sectional analysis of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Tang Mingxia M, Sun Shuai S, Liu Yu Y, Dong Lili L

B vitamins may be involved in the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This investigation intended to examine the association between vitamin B6 catabolic status and the prevalence of AMD. Individuals ≥ 40 years old in the 2005 to 2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey who had complete vitamin B6 measurement and AMD diagnostic data were included in this cross-sectional study. The catabolic status of vitamin B6 was evaluated using serum levels of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) (the active form) and its metabolite 4-pyridoxic acid (4-PA). The analysis of 4-PA, PLP, and the 4-PA to PLP ratio (4-PA/PLP) used continuous variables and quartiles (Q1-Q4). The associations of 4-PA, PLP, and 4-PA/PLP with the prevalence of AMD were evaluated via weighted logistic regression, with odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) estimates provided. Nonlinear relationships were explored utilizing restricted cubic splines. Of these 4202 included individuals, 549 were diagnosed with AMD and 3653 were non-AMD patients. High PLP levels (Q4 [≥ 55.475 nmol/L] vs Q1: OR [95% CI] = 0.69 [0.48-0.97]) were significantly associated with lower odds of AMD, whereas high 4-PA/PLP levels (Q3 [0.668-0.976]: OR [95% CI] = 1.57 [1.07-2.29]; Q4 [≥ 0.976]: OR [95% CI] = 2.00 [1.35-2.96]) were related to higher odds of AMD. The associations of PLP levels (Q4: OR [95% CI] = 0.49 [0.32-0.76]) and 4-PA/PLP levels (Q4: OR [95% CI] = 2.18 [1.27-3.75]) with the prevalence of AMD were observed only in individuals aged ≥ 65 years and not in those aged < 65 years. No significant association was found between 4-PA levels and the odds of AMD (P > .05). The restricted cubic splines curves demonstrated that the nonlinear relationships of 4-PA (Poverall = .002; Pnon-linear = .730) and PLP (Poverall < .001; Pnon-linear = .791) with the prevalence of AMD were not significant, whereas the levels of 4-PA/PLP (Poverall < .001; Pnon-linear < .001) had a significant nonlinear association with the prevalence of AMD. High 4-PA/PLP levels showed an association with high odds of AMD, suggesting that vitamin B6 catabolic status may influence the prevalence of AMD.

PMID 42499120
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PubMedFrontiers in allergy2026-07-25

The potential of targeted IL-4 therapy for the comorbidity of atopic dermatitis and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children via the skin-brain axis.

Zhou Yingjie Y, Sun Yuan Y, Hu Weisheng W, Wang Qing Q et al.

Although Atopic Dermatitis (AD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) frequently coexist in children, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The "Skin-Brain Axis"(SBA) hypothesis, based on the shared ectodermal origin of the skin and the central nervous system(CNS), provides a theoretical foundation for communication between AD and ADHD. However, standardized biomarkers and direct clinical validation are currently lacking. Interleukin-4 (IL-4), a key cytokine driving skin inflammation in AD, may theoretically influence CNS development via the SBA, thereby contributing to the pathophysiology of ADHD; but this hypothesis has not yet been validated in humans. Based on the SBA, the review integrates the dual role of IL-4 in the pathogenesis of AD and ADHD, explores the possibility of IL-4 acting as a bridging signal between peripheral skin inflammation and neurodevelopmental abnormalities, and summarizes existing clinical and preclinical evidence for IL-4-targeted therapies for AD-ADHD comorbidity, while also highlighting current gaps in evidence and limitations in application. Future research should include prospective clinical trials with neurocognitive assessment and brain imaging as endpoints, using direct neuroimmune effects and indirect effects (such as itch relief and improved sleep) as reference indicators, to systematically evaluate the feasibility of IL-4 inhibitors in controlling neurobehavioral symptoms and provide a practical research pathway for clinical translation.

PMID 42500597
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