Ingredient intelligence
Tranexamic acid
Pigmentation · Tranexamic Acid · C8H15NO2
Tranexamic acid is a lysine analogue that blocks plasminogen binding. It is studied topically for melasma-related pigmentation via plasmin-dependent signalling rather than direct tyrosinase inhibition.
Molecular identity
- Formula
- C8H15NO2
- Molecular weight
- 157.21 g/mol
- PubChem CID
- 5526
- ChEBI
- CHEBI:48669
Biological targets
Plasminogen (PLG)
high confidenceinhibits · enzyme
UniProt P00747Proteinase-activated receptor 2 (F2RL1)
low confidencemodulates · receptor
UniProt P55085
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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4 lower-confidence relationships are hidden at this filter level. Use “Show more biology” to include them.
Text alternative for this network
- Tranexamic acid is molecule Tranexamic acid — high confidence
- Tranexamic acid inhibits Plasminogen (PLG) — high confidence
- Plasminogen (PLG) encoded by PLG — high confidence
- PLG participates in Plasminogen activation and fibrinolysis — high confidence
- Plasminogen activation and fibrinolysis associated with Melanogenesis — medium confidence
- Melanogenesis studied in Studied for melasma-related pigmentation — medium confidence
Biological pathways
Plasminogen activation and fibrinolysis
high confidenceLysine-binding-site blockade prevents plasminogen activation.
Reactome R-HSA-75205
Melanin biosynthesis
low confidenceDownstream, indirect association with melanocyte stimulation.
Gene Ontology GO:0042438
Evidence engine
Limited
Mostly mechanistic, animal or single-study evidence.
Skinceptor Evidence Index
36
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
- Meta-analysis1
- Total studies
- 2
- Human studies
- 1
- Largest sample
- Data unavailable
- Range
- 2012–2019
Index breakdown
- Study design quality63% × 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 share33% × 22%
Proportion of curated evidence measured in people rather than cells or animals.
- Evidence volume50% × 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.
- Recency65% × 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
2012
Plasmin inhibition and melanocyte stimulation: mechanistic basis for tranexamic acid in pigmentation
In-vitrosample size unavailable · Experimental Dermatology
2019
Topical tranexamic acid for melasma: a systematic review
Meta-analysissample size unavailable · Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology
Ingredient fingerprint
11 nodes · 15 relationships · seed "tranexamic-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
2 curated studies
Topical tranexamic acid for melasma: a systematic review
Pooled analysis reported reductions in melasma severity scores, with substantial heterogeneity between studies.
Limitations — High heterogeneity, varied vehicles and concentrations, mostly small trials.
Plasmin inhibition and melanocyte stimulation: mechanistic basis for tranexamic acid in pigmentation
Reported reduced plasmin-dependent signalling to melanocytes in co-culture after tranexamic acid exposure.
Limitations — Cell model; identifier not verified during curation.
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 5526retrieved 2026-09-14
- Reactome R-HSA-75205retrieved 2026-09-14
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