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hydroquinone (Melanasa Forte)

✓ 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 NamesMelanasa Forte
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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PubMedPharmacological research2026-07-25

Downregulation of COX-2 expression in liver sinusoidal endothelial cell prevented the formation of liver sinusoidal microthrombi through the AKT/mTOR/TSP-1 axis.

Qian Shuaijie S, Gan Can C, Zhao Chong C, Dai Wenting W et al.

Liver sinusoidal microthrombosis (LST) is recognized as an initiating event in fibrogenesis and portal hypertension in chronic liver diseases. Liver sinusoidal endothelial cell (LSEC)-derived chemoattractants recruit neutrophils and macrophages, promoting LST in congestive hepatopathy (CH). However, the driving molecules from LSECs for LST remain unclear. This study aims to elucidate that LSECs inflammatory via cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) upregulation triggers metabolic reprogramming promoting thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1)-mediated LST and portal hypertension. A murine model of LST and portal hypertension was established by partial inferior vena cava ligation (pIVCL). LST and portal hypertension were suppressed in both LSEC-specific COX-2 knockout mice (Ptgs2ΔLSEC) and celecoxib-treated wild-type mice induced by pIVCL. RNA sequencing of mouse liver tissue and untargeted metabolomics of human hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells (HHSECs) revealed that COX-2 inhibition was concurrent with downregulation of the AKT/mTOR pathway, reduced lactate, and decreased TSP-1. In vitro, COX-2-derived prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) activated the AKT/mTOR pathway, driving glycolytic reprogramming and lactate production. In turn, the accumulation of lactate induced by COX-2 upregulation enhanced histone H3K9 lactylation, which transcriptionally upregulated Thbs1 (encoding TSP-1), thereby instigating a prothrombotic phenotype in LSECs. Collectively, this study uncovers a novel pathogenic axis in LST formation, where COX-2 drives a prothrombotic switch in LSECs via AKT/mTOR-mediated metabolic reprogramming and lactate-dependent epigenetic upregulation of TSP-1. Targeting LSEC COX-2 may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for mitigating LST and portal hypertension.

PMID 42498146
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PubMedArthroscopy, sports medicine, and rehabilitation2026-07-25

Trochleoplasty Is Associated With High Rates of Patellofemoral Arthritis: A Systematic Review.

Feingold Cailan L CL, Lin Eric H EH, Dawahare James C JC, Barcenas Andrew B AB et al.

To identify 2- to 5- and >10-year complications of trochleoplasty and define rates of postoperative patellofemoral arthritis. PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were queried for terms related to trochleoplasty. Included studies were clinical studies using trochleoplasty to manage patellofemoral instability and were published in English in peer-reviewed journals. Excluded studies were systematic reviews, meta-analyses, cadaveric studies, animal studies, and case reports. Patient demographics, follow-up time, concomitant procedures, complications, and subsequent surgeries were collected. Studies were grouped by follow-up time into <2, 2 to 5, 5 to 10, and >10 years. Thirty-five studies met inclusion criteria with 1336 patients (64% female). There were 142 (10.6%) patients with less than 2 years of follow-up, 871 (65.2%) with 2 to 5 years, 221 (16.5%) with 5 to 10 years, and 102 (7.6%) with more than 10 years. The complication rates ranged from 0% to 33%. Seven (20%) studies specifically reported on postoperative arthritis. In patients with <2 years, the most common complication was arthrofibrosis at rates of 0% to 6.3%. Patellofemoral arthritis was the most common complication in patients with 2 to 5 (0%-35.3%), 5 to 10 (0%-17.4%), and >10 years of follow-up (0%-92.3%). In patients with more than 10 years of follow-up, rates of patellofemoral arthritis worse than Iwano grade 2 were as high as 65%. Recurrent instability rates varied widely across studies and follow-up times from 0% to 33.3%. Patients undergoing trochleoplasty for patellar instability may experience low rates of recurrence but are prone to postoperative stiffness at <2- and 2- to 5-year follow-up. Complications following trochleoplasty in isolation are worse than when concomitant procedures are done. After 10 years, the incidence of all patellofemoral arthritis is as high as 92%, and more severe patellofemoral arthritis is as high as 65%, which is greater than the progression in patients with patellofemoral instability. Level IV, systematic review of Level II to IV studies.

PMID 42500159
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PubMedThe Journal of antibiotics2026-07-25

Luteoagmacins A and B, new antimicrobial agmatine derivatives from a hot spring water-derived Luteococcus sp.

Hoshino Shotaro S, Nagai Emiko E, Komaki Hisayuki H, Ijichi Shinta S et al.

Two new agmatine derivatives, luteoagmacins A (1) and B (2), were isolated from the culture extract of the hot spring water-associated actinomycete Luteococcus sp. RD000023. The chemical structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses, including 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy, and the structure of 2 was further confirmed by chemical synthesis. Based on disk diffusion and broth microdilution assays using the synthetic material, 2 exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as yeast.

PMID 42498785
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PubMedBMJ open2026-07-25

Availability, treatment costs and affordability of SGLT-2 inhibitors and GLP-1 RAs for diabetes in 10 countries: a cross-sectional study.

Li Zhuangqi Z, Zhang Shuting S, Liu Bao B

Diabetes complicated by cardiovascular diseases and chronic kidney diseases poses a growing global burden. Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are increasingly recommended, yet their availability, treatment costs and affordability across countries of different income levels remain poorly understood. To evaluate the regulatory availability, treatment costs and affordability of all marketed SGLT-2 inhibitors and GLP-1 RAs across 10 countries, including Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Brazil, China, Türkiye, Italy and France. We examined 22 SGLT-2 inhibitors and GLP-1 RAs across 10 countries using publicly available sources. Regulatory availability was defined as marketing authorisation in a given country. Monthly treatment costs were estimated using minimum 28-day retail medicine prices based on recommended dosing regimens. Affordability was assessed as the proportion of the national minimum monthly wage required to purchase 1 month of treatment. Differences in regulatory availability across income groups were assessed using the Kruskal-Wallis test, with subgroup analyses by regulatory capacity. Associations between treatment costs and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita were examined using Spearman correlation. Given the small sample size, analyses were exploratory and hypothesis-generating. Regulatory availability ranged from 2 medicines in Nepal to 15 in China (9.1%-68.2%). No statistically significant differences in regulatory availability were observed across or within income groups. Regulatory availability of SGLT-2 inhibitors did not vary by regulatory capacity, whereas countries with higher regulatory capacity had greater regulatory approval coverage for GLP-1 RAs (p=0.045). Minimum monthly treatment costs ranged from US$3.68-50.30 for SGLT-2 inhibitors and US$22.95-220.80 for GLP-1 RAs. SGLT-2 inhibitor treatment costs increased with GDP per capita (ρ=0.939; p<0.001), while no statistically significant association was observed for GLP-1 RAs. SGLT-2 inhibitors were more affordable than GLP-1 RAs, requiring 0.7%-5.1% versus 1.6%-110.4% of monthly minimum wages. Substantial cross-country variation exists in the regulatory availability, treatment costs and affordability of SGLT-2 inhibitors and GLP-1 RAs. Higher regulatory capacity was associated with greater regulatory availability for GLP-1 RAs. Coordinated efforts to strengthen regulatory capacity and improve affordability may help improve the regulatory availability and affordability of these therapies across countries.

PMID 42498467
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