Provided is a derivative or a polyhydroxy cyclic compound represented by Formula I or a pharmacologically acceptable salt thereof with excellent whitening effects, comprising; wherein {circle around (A)} is derived from an aromatic cyclic compound, B is hydrogen, oxo (═O), amino (—NH2), imino (═NH), or a saturated or unsaturated straight or branched alkyl, alkoxy, monoalkylamino, or dialkylamino group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, Cn, Cn+1and Cn+2 are three neighboring carbon atoms present in the aromatic cyclic compound, wherein n is a positive integer, R1 is hydrogen, hydroxy, or a saturated or unsaturated straight or branched alkyl or alkoxy group, X and Y are selected from a group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxy, and a saturated or unsaturated straight or branched alkoxy, or acyloxy group, and one of X and Y is hydrogen, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are each independently at least one substituent selected from a group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxy, acyloxy, acyloxymethyl, oxo, hydroxy, vinyl, nitrile, carboxaldehyde, carbonitrile and aldehyde.