Anisaldehyde, a melanogenesis potentiator.

Anisaldehyde (4-methoxybenzaldehyde), previously reported as a tyrosinase inhibitor, did not inhibit melanogenesis in cultured B16-F10 melanoma cells but rather enhanced it. This adverse effect of anisaldehyde was accompanied by melanocytotoxicity in a dose-dependent manner up to 2 mM. The melanin content per cell at 1 mM was increased 5-fold compared to control and morphological observations showed the deposition of melanin pigments. Anisaldehyde was also examined against cultured human A375 melanoma cells.