Undecylenoyl Phenylalanine

What is undecylenoyl phenylalanine?

Undecylenoyl phenylalanine is a derivative of the amino acid phenylalanine, that works as a skin lightening agent (R).

Does undecylenoyl phenylalanine get absorbed?

When a formulation containing 5% niacinamide + 1% undecylenoyl phenylalanine was applied to human cadaver skin, 20% of the applied dose of undecylenoyl phenylalanine was found to permeate the skin over 24 hours (R). In addition, undecylenoyl phenylalanine has been shown to have enhanced skin uptake when loaded into solid lipid nanoparticles or nanostructured lipid carriers (R, R).

What happens after undecylenoyl phenylalanine is absorbed?

Undecylenoyl phenylalanine is thought to reduce melanin production by acting as an antagonist of the α-melanocyte stimulating hormone receptor and as an inhibitor of the β-adrenergic receptors (R).