Linoleic acid molecule

Linoleic acid (LA) is poly-unsaturated omega-6 fatty acid. The word linoleic derives from the Greek word linon (flax), and oleic (relating to or derived from oil).

Linoleic acid belongs to one of the two classes of essential fatty acids that humans require for good health and are called essential because they cannot synthesized by the human body from other food components.

Unsaturated fatty acids including oleic acid, linoleic acid or α-linolenic acid suppress melanogenesis and tyrosinase activity, while saturated fatty acids such as palmitic acid or stearic acid increases it.

Linoleic acid reduces the activity of tyrosinase in melanocytes, while mRNA levels remain unchanged. No evidence of change in TYRP-1 and TYRP-2 protein levels suggest that fatty acids selectively target tyrosinase. This may influence the enzyme’s degradation via a physiologic proteasome-dependent mechanism, altering the tyrosinase protein content in hyperactive melanocytes.

Linoleic acid also influences skin pigmentation by stimulating epidermal turnover and increased desquamation of melanin pigment from the epidermis.