Press Release

Chinese medicine compound discovered by HKBU protects skin from aging, registered as first new cosmetic ingredient with NMPA

Wednesday, 26 November 2025

Dihydro-resveratrol (DR2), a natural whitening and anti-aging compound discovered in the Chinese medicinal herb Dendrobium by a team of Chinese medicine scientists at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), has been successfully registered recently as a new cosmetic ingredient with the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). This HKBU start-up is the first to obtain this registration, exemplifying HKBU’s outstanding achievements in scientific research and innovation.

Professor Zhang Hongjie, Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning) and Chair Professor of Chinese Medicine of the School of Chinese Medicine at HKBU, who led the research, said: “NMPA’s registration of DR2 as a new cosmetic ingredient affirms the compound’s safety and application potential. This milestone underscores our commitment to translating our discoveries into practical applications in both the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Chinese Mainland. It also paves the way for Hong Kong-developed cosmetics and skincare products containing DR2 to be manufactured and sold in the Chinese Mainland.”

Professor Zhang and his research team have discovered that DR2, the natural compound found in two orchids, D. officinale and D. nobile, has anti-oxidant and anti-melanogenic functions, making it ideal for use in skin care products.

They found that DR2 could reduce the generation of free radicals and reactive oxygen species in both cellular and animal models, which illustrated their suitability for protecting the skin against the effects of ageing. In cultured melanocytes, DR2 in particular significantly reduced melanin formation, by inhibiting the activity of tyrosinase, the enzyme that catalyses melanin production, and the expression of tyrosinase-related proteins. Melanin is the pigment that gives human skin its colour.

The result suggested that DR2 is more effective than vitamin C, vitamin E and beta hydroxy acid, which are commonly used in existing skincare products, when it comes to reducing melanin formation and the prevention of skin darkening.

In addition, DR2 does not cause any irritation to skin and its compatibility with both water-based and oil-based formulations enables broad application across skincare and cosmetic products.

To foster the translation of the research outcomes into practical applications in personal care products, Professor Zhang has founded a start-up Gihon Biotech Limited. Through this startup, DR2 has been registered with NMPA as a new cosmetic ingredient. The compound, along with its synthetic derivatives, has also been awarded patents in China, the United States, Japan, Singapore, and Malaysia.

- End -