Human skin, eye and hair color rely on the production of melanin, depending on its quantity, quality, and distribution, Melanin plays a monumental role in protecting the skin against the harmful effect of ultraviolet radiation and oxidative stress from various environmental pollutants. However, an excessive production of melanin causes serious dermatological problems such as freckles, solar lentigo (age spots), melasma, as well as cancer. Hence, the regulation of melanin production is important for controlling the hyper-pigmentation. Melanogenesis, a biosynthetic pathway to produce melanin pigment in melanocyte, involves a series of intricate enzymatic and chemical catalyzed reactions. Several extrinsic factors include ultraviolet radiation and chemical drugs, and intrinsic factors include molecules secreted by surrounding keratinocytes or melanocytes, and fibroblasts, all of which regulate melanogenesis. This article reviews recent advances in the development of melanogenesis inhibitors that directly/indirectly target melanogenesis-related signaling pathways. Efforts have been made to provide a description of the mechanism of action of inhibitors on various melanogenesis signaling pathways.

人的皮肤，眼睛和头发的颜色取决于黑色素的产生，取决于黑色素的数量，质量和分布，黑色素在保护皮肤免受紫外线辐射和各种环境污染物产生的氧化应激的有害影响方面起着重要作用。但是，黑色素的过量生产会引起严重的皮肤病学问题，例如雀斑，日晒斑，老年性黄褐斑，黄褐斑以及癌症。因此，黑色素生成的调节对于控制色素沉着非常重要。黑色素生成是在黑色素细胞中产生黑色素色素的生物合成途径，涉及一系列复杂的酶和化学催化反应。一些外在因素包括紫外线辐射和化学药物，内在因素包括周围的角质形成细胞或黑素细胞分泌的分子，以及成纤维细胞，所有这些都调节黑素生成。本文回顾了直接/间接靶向黑色素生成相关信号通路的黑色素生成抑制剂的最新进展。已经做出努力来描述抑制剂对各种黑色素生成信号传导途径的作用机理。