Abstract: Provided is a stable and safe oral composition that acts on the barrier function of the skin for alleviating and/or preventing rough skin. An oral composition for alleviating rough skin and an oral composition for preventing rough skin are provided, the compositions containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of D-glutamic acid and derivatives and/or salts thereof. Also provided are a pharmaceutical composition and/or a food composition containing the oral composition for alleviating rough skin or the oral composition for preventing rough skin.

Abstract: Disclosed are a composition for alleviating ultraviolet irradiation-induced damage, which is stable and safe and can be used on a daily basis, and a pharmaceutical composition, an external skin preparation, a food composition and a medicine for cataract, each comprising aforesaid composition for alleviating ultraviolet irradiation-induced damage. Specifically disclosed is a composition for alleviating ultraviolet irradiation-induced damage which contains one or more kinds of compounds selected from the group consisting of methionine, D-serine and derivatives and/or salts of the same. The aforesaid composition may be an external preparation for the skin, an anti-wrinkle agent, a sunscreen agent, a medicinal composition for treating and/or preventing skin diseases, a food composition or a pharmaceutical product for cataract.

Abstract: Disclosed are: a composition for alleviating ultraviolet irradiation-induced damage, which can be used on a daily based and is stable and safe; and a pharmaceutical preparation, a cosmetic and a food composition, each of which comprises the composition. The composition for alleviating ultraviolet irradiation-induced damage contains one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of D-glutamic acid, L-glutamic acid, D-proline, D-cystine, L-cystine, and derivatives and/or salts of the aforementioned compounds. The composition can be used as an external formulation for the skin, a cosmetic composition, an anti-wrinkle agent, a sunscreen agent, a pharmaceutical composition for treating and/or preventing skin diseases, a food composition, or a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating cataract.

Abstract: The development of a skin-whitening agent which has a lower molecular weight, can be synthesized through a fewer steps and can be produced at low cost has been demanded. Thus, it is provided by the present invention a skin-whitening agent including one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of 4-cis-hydroxyproline and its derivative and/or its salt, a skin-whitening composition for external formulation to the skin, a cosmetic composition and a pharmaceutical composition, each of which contains the skin-whitening agent of the invention, and a cosmetic method for whitening the skin, which includes a step of administering one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of 4-cis-hydroxyproline and its derivative and/or its salt. In the skin-whitening agent and the cosmetic method for whitening the skin of the invention, the 4-cis-hydroxyproline may be 4-cis-L-hydroxyproline and/or 4-cis-D-hydroxyproline.