Ingredient intelligence
Azelaic acid
Pigmentation · Azelaic Acid · C9H16O4
Azelaic acid is a nine-carbon dicarboxylic acid studied for pigmentation and inflammatory endpoints. It is a regulated medicine at higher strengths in several regions.
Molecular identity
- Formula
- C9H16O4
- Molecular weight
- 188.22 g/mol
- PubChem CID
- 2266
- ChEBI
- CHEBI:48131
Biological targets
Tyrosinase (TYR)
medium confidenceinhibits · enzyme
UniProt P14679Kallikrein related peptidase 5 (KLK5)
low confidenceinhibits · enzyme
UniProt Q9Y337
How could this ingredient interact with biology?
Biological network
Ingredient → molecule → target → gene/protein → pathway → process → studied outcome. Relationship strength is drawn from the curated confidence tier; nothing is added to make the chain look complete.
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3 lower-confidence relationships are hidden at this filter level. Use “Show more biology” to include them.
Text alternative for this network
- Azelaic acid is molecule Azelaic acid — high confidence
- Azelaic acid inhibits Tyrosinase (TYR) — medium confidence
- Tyrosinase (TYR) encoded by TYR — medium confidence
- TYR participates in Melanin biosynthesis — medium confidence
- Melanin biosynthesis associated with Melanogenesis — medium confidence
- Melanogenesis studied in Studied for post-inflammatory pigmentation and redness endpoints — medium confidence
Biological pathways
Melanin biosynthesis
medium confidenceCompetitive tyrosinase inhibition reported.
Gene Ontology GO:0042438
Evidence engine
Insufficient
Not enough curated evidence to characterise this ingredient.
Skinceptor Evidence Index
11
experimental · of 100
This index is a research-navigation aid describing how much evidence exists and how it was produced. It is not a medical safety score, an efficacy guarantee, or a clinical recommendation.
Study composition
- In-vitro1
- Total studies
- 1
- Human studies
- 0
- Largest sample
- Data unavailable
- Range
- 1991–1991
Index breakdown
- Study design quality25% × 28%
Mean design weight across curated studies (meta-analysis 1.0, RCT 0.9, other human 0.7, review 0.45, animal 0.35, in-vitro 0.25).
- Human evidence share0% × 22%
Proportion of curated evidence measured in people rather than cells or animals.
- Evidence volume32% × 14%
Log-scaled count of curated studies, so volume alone cannot dominate the score.
- Largest sample size0% × 12%
Log-scaled largest reported sample size across curated human studies.
- Replication0% × 12%
Independent human studies, capped at three; one study is never treated as replicated.
- Recency0% × 7%
Linear decay over a twenty-year window from the most recent curated publication.
- Source traceability0% × 5%
Share of curated studies with a verified PMID or DOI in this dataset.
Insufficient comparable evidence for quantitative synthesis.
Research timeline
How the evidence accumulated
1991
Azelaic acid: tyrosinase inhibition and selective effects on hyperactive melanocytes
In-vitrosample size unavailable · Acta Dermato-Venereologica
Ingredient fingerprint
10 nodes · 11 relationships · seed "azelaic-acid"
The fingerprint is a deterministic visual signature: ridge amplitude comes from the number of entities in each tier, node placement from identifier hashes, and opacity from confidence. Two ingredients can never produce the same figure unless their networks are identical.
Open in Biology as Art →Research
1 curated study
Azelaic acid: tyrosinase inhibition and selective effects on hyperactive melanocytes
Reported competitive tyrosinase inhibition with greater effect on hyperactive melanocytes than normal melanocytes.
Limitations — In-vitro; selectivity claim not confirmed in later human work; identifier not verified.
Community evidence
Submitted by readers
Reader submissions appear here only after review. They are not part of the curated dataset and do not affect the Skinceptor Evidence Index.
No approved community submissions yet.
Sources
- PubChem 2266retrieved 2026-09-14
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