Compositions for topical use and having a protein carbonylation-inhibiting activity that include an amount of about 75-100% pure obacunone effective to reduce and/or inhibit protein carbonylation are described. Methods for inhibiting protein carbonylation in skin and for skin whitening and lightening are also described.本文描述了具有抑制蛋白羰基化活性的局部用組合物,其包含有效降低和/或抑制蛋白羰基化的量的約75-100%純的黃柏酮。本文還描述了抑制皮膚中蛋白羰基化和皮膚美白與提亮的方法。