Monobenzone

Legal statusLegal status IdentifiersCAS NumberPubChem CIDIUPHAR/BPSDrugBankChemSpiderUNIIKEGGChEMBLCompTox Dashboard (EPA)ECHA InfoCard100.002.804 Chemical and physical dataFormulaC₁₃H₁₂O₂Molar mass200.237 g·mol^−1 NY (what is this?)  (verify)

Monobenzone, also called 4-(Benzyloxy)phenol and monobenzyl ether of hydroquinone (MBEH) is an organic chemical in the phenol family with chemical formula C₆H₅CH₂OC₆H₄OH.^[1][2] It is used as a topical drug for medical depigmentation.^[3] It is a colourless solid that is classified as the monobenzyl ether of hydroquinone. Monobenzone is soluble in alcohol, benzene, and diethyl ether, and practically insoluble in water.

Pharmacology

The topical application of monobenzone in animals increases the excretion of melanin from melanocytes. The same action is thought to be responsible for the depigmenting effect of the drug in humans. Monobenzone may cause destruction of melanocytes and permanent depigmentation. ^{[citation needed]}

The histology of the skin after depigmentation with topical monobenzone is the same as that seen in vitiligo; the epidermis is normal except for the absence of identifiable melanocytes. Therefore, monobenzone is used as a topical medicine to permanently depigment normal skin surrounding vitiliginous lesions only in patients with disseminated (greater than 50 percent of body surface area) idiopathic vitiligo. Monobenzone is also being considered for the treatment of melanoma.^[4]

References

Further reading

• Bolognia JL, Lapia K, Somma S (January 2001). "Depigmentation therapy. Dermatologic Therapy". 14 (1): 29–34. doi:10.1046/j.1529-8019.2001.014001029.x. S2CID 221649640. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

External links

• "Monobenzone". Drug Information Portal. U.S. National Library of Medicine.