| abstract |
Disclosed are methods and compositions for regulating the melanin content of mammalian melanocytes; regulating pigmentation in mammalian skin, hair, wool or fur; treating or preventing various skin and proliferative disorders; increasing the differentiation of mammalian neuronal cells for purposes of treating neurodegenerative diseases or nerve damage; and stimulating cellular nitric oxide (NO) synthesis, cyclic guanosine monophosphate levels (cGMP), and protein kinase G (PKG) activity for purposes of treating diseases mediated by deficiencies in the NO/cGMP/PKG signal transduction pathway; by administration of various compounds, including alcohols, diols and/or triols and their analogues. |