Phenylalanine Butyramide: A Butyrate Derivative as a Novel Inhibitor of Tyrosinase.

Metabolites resulting from the bacterial fermentation of dietary fibers, such as short-chain fatty acids, especially butyrate, play important roles in maintaining gut health and regulating various biological effects in the skin. However, butyrate is underutilized due to its unpleasant odor. To circumvent this organoleptic unfavorable property, phenylalanine butyramide (PBA), a butyrate precursor, has been synthesized and is currently available on the market. We evaluated the inhibition of mushroom tyrosinase by butyrate and PBA through in vitro assays, finding IC