Age spots or dark patches in the skin known as hyperpigmentation are caused by an excess of melanin. What is melanin and what contributes to its production? READ MORE…

 

KIT CONTENTS

Antioxidant Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx)

“Glutathione (GSH) is one of the most important agents of the antioxidant defense system of the cell because, in conjunction with the enzymes glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and glutathione S transferase pi (GSTpi), it plays a central role in the detoxification and biotransformation of chemotherapeutic drugs.”

https://bmcvetres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1746-6148-10-49

 

Antioxidant Superoxide Dismutase (SOD)

Superoxide dismutases (SODs) constitute a very important antioxidant defense against oxidative stress in the body. Three forms of superoxide dismutase are present in humans, in all other mammals, and most chordates. SOD1 is located in the cytoplasm, SOD2 in the mitochondria, and SOD3 is extracellular.

 

Antioxidants: Vitamin A & Carotenoids

Antioxidants are substances/molecules that inhibit oxidation and protect cells from the damage caused by free radicals (unstable molecules made by the process of oxidation during normal metabolism).

 

Dopachrome

“The biosynthesis of melanin is initiated from L-tyrosine via a series of enzymatic and nonenzymatic reactions by the enzyme tyrosinase. First, tyrosinase (monophenol monooxygenase EC 1.14.18.1) catalyzes oxidation of L-tyrosine to L-3, 4- dihydroxyphenyl alanine (L-DOPA), which is further converted into dopachrome. Dopachrome is converted to melanin by a series of nonenzymatic oxidoreduction reactions.”  https://www.nature.com/articles/srep42129

 

Epidermis

The epidermis is the top layer of the skin. Keratinocytes make up 90% of epidermal skin cells.

 

Environmental Stressors Mix: UV, ionizing radiations, pollutants, xenobiotics

“…free radicals and other ROS are derived either from normal essential metabolic processes in the human body or from external sources such as exposure to X-rays, ozone, cigarette smoking, air pollutants, and industrial chemicals.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249911

 

Eumelanin

Two pigmenting forms of melanin are produced by melanocytes in humanskin and hair follicles: eumelanin, a brown-black pigment; and pheomelanin, an orange-to-red pigment. Eumelanin especially protects the skin from solar UV radiations.

 

Keratinocyte

Produced in the stratum basale, keratinocytes migrate to the surface of the skin, the epidermis. Significantly, the keratinocytes accumulate melanin as they mature. These cells make up 90% of the epidermis forming a barrier against environment damage through heat, UV radiation, water loss, and harmful microbes.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keratinocyte

 

L-DOPA

“The biosynthesis of melanin is initiated from L-tyrosine via a series of enzymatic and nonenzymatic reactions by the enzyme tyrosinase. First, tyrosinase (monophenol monooxygenase EC 1.14.18.1) catalyzes oxidation of L-tyrosine to L-3, 4- dihydroxyphenyl alanine (L-DOPA), which is further converted into dopachrome. Dopachrome is converted to melanin by a series of nonenzymatic oxidoreduction reactions.”  https://www.nature.com/articles/srep42129

 

L-Tyrosine

 

Melanin

Humans have three main forms of melanin with many functions including pigmentation. Two pigmenting forms of melanin are produced by melanocytes in skin and hair follicles: eumelanin, a brown-black pigment; and pheomelanin, an orange-to-red pigment. Neuromelanin is a dark pigment produced by dopaminergic and noradrenergic cells of the substantia nigra and locus coeruleus as a breakdown product of dopamine in the brain.

 

Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH)

“MCH stimulates melanosome aggregation to the cell center whereas alpha-MSH stimulates pigment organelle dispersion out into the dendritic processes of the melanocytes.”  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2544929/

 

Melanocortin Receptor (MC)

“The melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) is a critical genetic locus involved in pigmentation, the adaptive tanning response and skin cancer susceptibility. The MC1R is found on the surface of melanocytes where it binds to α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH) …” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4885833/

 

Melanocytes

“Melanocytes are the second most abundant cell in the epidermis. In fact, melanocytes can be found both in the dermis and epidermis. Through dendritic extensions, melanocytes may be in intimate contact with as many as fifty neighboring keratinocytes in what is known as an “epidermal melanin unit” … https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3709783/

 

Melanocyte-stimulating Hormone (MSH)

Melanocytes control skin pigmentation through synthesis of melanin, a complex process thought to be primarily regulated by alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (αMSH) which is produced from proopiomelanocortin (POMC). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10816645/

 

Melanosome

Melanocytes in the basal layer of the epidermis insert granules of melanin into their melanosomes, intracellular organelles. The melanosomes are then transferred to the keratinocyte cells – where the melanin-containing melanosomes accumulate to protect the skin’s nuclear DNA from radiations of the sun. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8123122/

 

Neuromelanin

Neuromelanin is a dark pigment produced by dopaminergic and noradrenergic cells of the substantia nigra and locus coeruleus as a breakdown product of dopamine.

 

Oxidative Stress

“Oxidative stress is a phenomenon caused by an imbalance between production and accumulation of oxygen reactive species (ROS) in cells and tissues and the ability of a biological system to detoxify these reactive products.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5551541/

 

Pheomelanin

Two pigmenting forms of melanin are produced by melanocytes in skin and hair follicles: eumelanin, a brown-black pigment; and pheomelanin, an orange-to-red pigment. Eumelanin especially protects the skin from solar UV radiations.

 

Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)

The primary stimulus for melanogenesis and subsequent melanosome production is UV radiation, which “upregulates melanocyte production of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) and its downstream products, alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). The overall effect is to increase eumelanin production.”  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459156/

 

Solar Radiation, Infrared

Infrared radiation A (IRA) is absorbed by melanin and generates heat. “New scientific research has revealed that one third of infrared (IR) light can penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin, triggering heat induced responses such as inflammation, hydration loss and the degradation of collagen and elastin.” https://www.environskincare.com/skin-science/is-infrared-light-helpful-or-harmful-for-skin/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25683028/

 

Solar Radiation, UV-A

Ultraviolet radiation (UV) from the sun benefits human health by mediating the body’s synthesis of vitamin D and endorphins in the skin. However, UV rays penetrate outer skin layers and hit the deeper layers of the skin, where they can damage or kill skin cells.  

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3709783/

 

Solar Radiation, UV-B

“UV photons interact with atomic oxygen to promote formation of free radical derivatives such as superoxide, hydrogen peroxide and the highly reactive hydroxyl radical. Free radicals avidly attack macromolecules such as protein, lipid, RNA and DNA, altering their structure and interfering with their function. Detoxifying and protective enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase detoxify and reduce levels of oxidative species in the cell.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3709783/

 

Solar Radiation, Visible Light

“Visible Light Induces Melanogenesis in Human Skin through a Photoadaptive Response” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4488093/

 

Stratum Basale/Stratum Germinativum

Melanocytes first in the stratum basale control skin pigmentation through synthesis of melanin.

 

Sunscreen

 

Titanium Dioxide

A common ingredient in sunscreen products.

 

Tyrosinase

Tyrosinase is responsible for the first step in melanin production. It converts a protein building block (amino acid) called tyrosine to another compound called dopaquinone.

 

Tyrosine

 

Zinc Oxide

A common ingredient in sunscreen products.

 

Quantity: 30 Vials

Model: MEL

Note: Ergopathics test kits are not intended to diagnose, prevent, treat or cure any disease, disorder or abnormal physical state. The vials contain ethanol and water and the process used to imprint them with electromagnetic signatures has not been tested or validated by any scientific method and is not approved by any regulatory authority. They are intended for use solely by qualified providers to support wellness and manage stress. Vials do not contain any substances classified as a DINs of NHPs by Health Canada.