A series of 1,3,4-thiadiazole-2(3H)-thiones, 1,3,4-oxadiazole-2(3H)-thiones, 4-amino-1,2,4-triazole-5(4H)-thiones, and substituted hydrazides were tailored and synthesized as new potent inhibitors of tyrosinase. The rationale for inhibitor design was based on the active site structural evidence from