Hydroquinone

Melanin Synthesis Inhibitor — DERMATOLOGICALS

Key facts

Hydroquinone is an ofp drug in the Melanin Synthesis Inhibitor class catalogued in DrugCentral. It was first approved by the FDA in 2002. Its mechanism of action is classified as Melanin Synthesis Inhibitors. DrugCentral lists 15 molecular targets, including ache, CA2 and ca. Recorded indications include Chloasma, Discoloration of skin and Facial Hyperpigmentation.

• Approval status: ofp (first approved 2002 by the FDA).
• Drug class: Melanin Synthesis Inhibitor.
• Mechanism of action: Melanin Synthesis Inhibitors.
• Molecular targets: ache, CA2, ca and CA12 (15 listed in DrugCentral).
• Indications: Chloasma, Discoloration of skin and Facial Hyperpigmentation.
• ATC code: D11AX11 (Other dermatologicals).
• Molecular formula: C6H6O2; molecular weight 110.11 g/mol.

Indications & contraindications

Drug–disease relationships curated by DrugCentral (OMOP / SNOMED concepts).

Indications (3)

• Chloasma
• Discoloration of skin
• Facial Hyperpigmentation

Contraindications (9)

• Adrenal cortical hypofunction
• Atrophoderma
• Breastfeeding (mother)
• Denuded skin
• Eczema
• Peripheral vascular disease
• Pregnancy, function
• Sunburn
• Telangiectasia disorder

Mechanism & targets

• Mechanism of action (MoA): Melanin Synthesis Inhibitors
• Established pharmacologic class: Melanin Synthesis Inhibitor

Molecular targets (15)

Target	Gene	Action	Activity
Acetylcholinesterase	ache	unknown	Ki 8.91
Carbonic anhydrase 2	CA2	unknown	Ki 7.05
Carbonic anhydrase	ca	unknown	Ki 5.23
Carbonic anhydrase 12	CA12	unknown	Ki 5.11
Carbonic anhydrase 3	CA3	unknown	Ki 5.09
Polyphenol oxidase 2	PPO2	unknown	IC50 5.01
Carbonic anhydrase 15	Ca15	unknown	Ki 4.97
Carbonic anhydrase 1	CA1	unknown	Ki 4.97
Carbonic anhydrase 4	CA4	unknown	Ki 4.97
Carbonic anhydrase 5B, mitochondrial	CA5B	unknown	Ki 4.90
Carbonic anhydrase 5A, mitochondrial	CA5A	unknown	Ki 4.85
Tyrosinase	TYR	unknown	IC50 4.82
Carbonic anhydrase 9	CA9	unknown	Ki 4.49
Carbonic anhydrase 14	CA14	unknown	Ki 4.38
Carbonic anhydrase 13	Ca13	unknown	Ki 4.13

Regulatory approvals (1)

Date	Agency	Marketed as	Applicant	Orphan
2002-01-18	FDA	—	GALDERMA LABS LP

ATC classification

ATC code	Therapeutic hierarchy
D11AX11	DERMATOLOGICALS › OTHER DERMATOLOGICAL PREPARATIONS › OTHER DERMATOLOGICAL PREPARATIONS › Other dermatologicals

Reported adverse-event signals

Strongest FDA FAERS disproportionality signals (log-likelihood ratio). A signal is a statistical association in spontaneous reports, not proof that the drug causes the event.

MedDRA term	LLR
Squamous cell carcinoma of skin	208.8
Skin atrophy	107.9
Ochronosis	88.9
Neoplasm skin	71.0
Product use in unapproved indication	34.6

Chemical structure

Full physicochemical, ADMET and 3D-structure analysis of Hydroquinone is on its molecule page.

• Molecular formula: C₆H₆O₂
• Molecular weight: 110.11 g/mol
• CAS number: 123-31-9
• InChIKey: QIGBRXMKCJKVMJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N
• PubChem CID: 785

OC1=CC=C(O)C=C1

Frequently asked questions

Answers are generated from the structured data on this page, not written by hand.

What is Hydroquinone used for?

DrugCentral lists the following indications for Hydroquinone: Chloasma, Discoloration of skin and Facial Hyperpigmentation.

How does Hydroquinone work?

Hydroquinone is classified as Melanin Synthesis Inhibitors; its molecular targets in DrugCentral include ache, CA2, ca and CA12.

When was Hydroquinone first approved?

Hydroquinone was first approved by the FDA in 2002.

What drug class does Hydroquinone belong to?

Hydroquinone is in the Melanin Synthesis Inhibitor class.

What is the chemical formula of Hydroquinone?

Hydroquinone has the molecular formula C6H6O2 and a molecular weight of 110.11 g/mol.

Sources

• DrugCentral drug card 3282 — structure, indications, targets, approvals, pharmacologic classes (CC BY-SA 4.0)
• ChEMBL CHEMBL537 — compound record and bioactivity
• PubChem CID 785 — chemical identifiers
• DrugBank DB09526 — drug record
• FDA UNII XV74C1N1AE — substance identity
• DailyMed: FDA labels for Hydroquinone — current prescribing information (label search)
• UniProt P00918 (CA2) — target protein
• UniProt O43570 (CA12) — target protein
• UniProt P07451 (CA3) — target protein
• UniProt P00915 (CA1) — target protein
• UniProt P22748 (CA4) — target protein
• UniProt Q9Y2D0 (CA5B) — target protein
• FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (openFDA FAERS) — adverse-event signals, as aggregated by DrugCentral

How this page is built: methodology · editorial policy & corrections.