Research Summary
Niacinamide (also known as nicotinamide, 3-pyridinecarboxamide) is the physiologically active form of niacin or vitamin B3, whose deficiency results in the nutritional disease pellagra, characterized by distinct cutaneous manifestations. Since its discovery and isolation, a wide range of dermatological therapeutic benefits and mechanisms have been attributed to this essential water-soluble vitamin when used as a topical agent.
These benefits include its role as an anti-acne agent, an up-regulator of epidermal sphingolipid synthesis, and an up-regulator of markers of epidermal differentiation and dermal proliferation. This leads to concurrent improvements in the stratum corneum barrier. Additionally, niacinamide has shown potential as a moderator of photoimmunosuppression, which may help prevent tumor genesis.
More recent evidence suggests that niacinamide plays a role in improving the cosmetic appearance of skin by suppressing epidermal melanosome transfer, which affects skin pigmentation, and by modifying epidermal surface topography. While the precise mechanisms behind these cutaneous effects remain unclear, it is believed that niacinamide’s function as a precursor of NADH and NADPH allows for the local correction of homeostatic imbalances of these two nucleotide coenzymes, promoting a broad spectrum of activity.
With the significant increase in research and usage of niacinamide in recent years, this review explores the current understanding of this important vitamin, covering its mechanistic insights and cutaneous physiological activity.
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