Alpha-Arbutin

Synonyms:4-hydroquinone-alpha-d-glucopyranoside;alpha-arbutin;a-Arbutin;HydroquinoneO-α-D-Glucopyranoside;

4-Hydroxyphenyla-D-glucopyranoside;4-hydroxyphenylalpha-D-glucopyranoside

CAS:84380-01-8

MF: C12H16O7

MW:272.25

EINECS: 209-795-0

Appearance: White crystalline powder

Content (HPLC): ≥ 99.5%

Loss on drying:<1%

PH value (10% aqueous solution): 5.0~7.0

Melting point (℃): 202-210

Burning residue: ＜ 0.5%

Transmittance (430nm) (5% aqueous solution): ＞ 95

Hydroquinone (ppm): ＜ 10

Arsenic (ppm): ＜ 2

Heavy metal (ppm): ＜ 10

Total bacterial count (CFU/g): ≤ 1000

Mold and yeast (CFU/g): ≤ 100

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CFU/g): Not detectable

Staphylococcus aureus (CFU/g): not detectable

Thermotolerant coliform group (CFU/g): not detectable

Uses: α-Arbutin may be used as an analytical reference standard for the determination of the analyte in cosmetics 

by high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection (HPLC-UV) method.

Biological Functions: Alpha arbutin acts as a tyrosinase competitive inhibitor and also slows melanosome 

maturation (the organelles that synthesize and store melanin or pigment).3 This is significant because it 

works on two different mechanisms of pigmentation. Melanin is derived from the amino acid tyrosine and 

this conversion is regulated by the enzyme tyrosinase. Alpha arbutin is similar in structure to tyrosine, 

which fits into tyrosinase, needed for melanogenesis. This means that alpha arbutin is reversibly competing 

with tyrosine for a spot on the enzyme and not inhibiting cell viability, so therefore is not cytotoxic. 

By targeting tyrosinase, the rate-limiting enzyme in melanin formation, as well as slowing production of the 

organelles that produce melanin, alpha arbutin is a potent skin brightening agent.