Patent ID: 7718185

Claim:
A method of reducing pigmentation of skin for cosmetic effects in a mammal comprising administering to the mammal an effective amount of a compound defined by structure (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester thereof: wherein: a. R 1 is H or a valence for bonding; b. R 2 is S, or SH; c. one of the dotted lines ( - - - ) represents a bond; d. R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , and R 7 are independently CR 8 ; e. R 8 is (i) hydrogen, (ii) halogen, (iii) NO 2 , (iv) —CN, (v) —OR 10 , (vi) —NHSO 2 —C 1-3 alkyl, (vii) —NHCO—C 1-5 alkyl, (viii) oxime, (ix) hydrazine, (x) —NR 9 R 10 , (xi) HSO 2 , (xii) HSO 3 , (xiii) thio-C 1-5 alkyl, (xiv) C 1-5 acyloxy, (xv) H 2 PO 3 , (xvi) thiol, (xvii) —COOR 9 , (xviii) C 1-5 alkynyl, or (xix) —C 1-5 alkyl, —C 1-5 alkenyl, aryl, heteroaryl, or heterocycle, optionally substituted with one or more of —OH, —SH, C(O)H, COOR 9 , C 1-5 acyloxy, halogen, NR 9 R 10 , C 1-5 thioether, or C 1-5 alkoxy; f. R 9 is hydrogen or C 1-3 alkyl; g. R 10 is hydrogen, or C 1-5 alkyl optionally substituted with —OH; h. R″ is CH or CR 8 and does not form a bond with R′; i. R′ is CH 3 or CH 2 R 8 and does not form a bond with R″ or R 7 .