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Details

Stereochemistry ABSOLUTE
Molecular Formula C12H16O7
Molecular Weight 272.2512
Optical Activity UNSPECIFIED
Defined Stereocenters 5 / 5
E/Z Centers 0
Charge 0

SHOW SMILES / InChI
Structure of ARBUTIN

SMILES

OC[C@H]1O[C@@H](OC2=CC=C(O)C=C2)[C@H](O)[C@@H](O)[C@@H]1O

InChI

InChIKey=BJRNKVDFDLYUGJ-RMPHRYRLSA-N
InChI=1S/C12H16O7/c13-5-8-9(15)10(16)11(17)12(19-8)18-7-3-1-6(14)2-4-7/h1-4,8-17H,5H2/t8-,9-,10+,11-,12-/m1/s1

HIDE SMILES / InChI

Description
Curator's Comment: http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dockets/95s0316/rpt0071_01.pdf; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2179048; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27129306

Arbutin, the beta-D-glucopyranoside of hydroquinone, is a skin whitening cosmetic ingredient. Compared with hydroquinone, arbutin is a less potent skin hyperpigmentation agent, but less toxic. Arbutin is found in a number of edible berry-producing plants such as blueberry and cranberry, marjoram, and most pear species. Chinchircoma (Muticia acuminatai) that contains arbutin, has been traditionally used by South American populations internally the fresh juice is used for gastric ulcers and internal tumors; the water of boiled leaves and flowers for illness of the respiratory tract; for hearth disorders or pain. According to pharmacological results in vitro, liver protective effects as well as anti-inflammatory activity were proven. It can also be beneficial for asthma and other anaphylactic reactions. This plant is component of the lsula Rain’s botanical products (Peru): ‘I-Day Digestive Cleanse #2.Herbal Supplement approved by FDA. As a hyperpigmentation agent arbutin inhibits tyrosinase and thus prevents the formation of melanin.

Approval Year

Targets

Targets

Primary TargetPharmacologyConditionPotency
Target ID: P14679
Gene ID: 7299.0
Gene Symbol: TYR
Target Organism: Homo sapiens (Human)
0.04 mM [IC50]
Conditions

Conditions

ConditionModalityTargetsHighest PhaseProduct
Primary
Alpha Arbutin Cream

Approved Use

Cream for skin lightening Alpha Arbutin ensures an even and lighter skin tone, reduces the degree of skin tanning after UV exposure, and it also helps to minimize the appearance of liver spots.
Cmax

Cmax

ValueDoseCo-administeredAnalytePopulation
1125 nmol/mL
210 mg single, oral
dose: 210 mg
route of administration: Oral
experiment type: SINGLE
co-administered:
HYDROQUINONE urine
Homo sapiens
population: HEALTHY
age: ADULT
sex: FEMALE / MALE
food status: FASTED
1689.3 nmol/mL
210 mg single, oral
dose: 210 mg
route of administration: Oral
experiment type: SINGLE
co-administered:
HYDROQUINONE urine
Homo sapiens
population: HEALTHY
age: ADULT
sex: FEMALE / MALE
food status: FASTED
Doses

Doses

DosePopulationAdverse events​
800 mg single, oral
Highest studied dose
Dose: 800 mg
Route: oral
Route: single
Dose: 800 mg
Sources:
healthy, ADULT
Health Status: healthy
Age Group: ADULT
Sex: unknown
Food Status: UNKNOWN
Sources:
Overview

Overview

OverviewOther

Other InhibitorOther SubstrateOther Inducer






Drug as perpetrator​

Drug as perpetrator​

TargetModalityActivityMetaboliteClinical evidence
inconclusive [EC50 28.1838 uM]
inconclusive [IC50 43.6486 uM]
no
no
no
no
yes [Inhibition 10 uM]
yes [Inhibition 10 uM]
Drug as victim

Drug as victim

TargetModalityActivityMetaboliteClinical evidence
no
Tox targets

Tox targets

TargetModalityActivityMetaboliteClinical evidence

Sample Use Guides

For the first 2 weeks use twice a day on cleansed skin (morning and night) then resume to once a day there after
Route of Administration: Topical
In Vitro Use Guide
Effects of isolated from Salvia officinalis compounds on melanin biosynthesis and cell proliferation of B16 melanoma cells were studied using arbutin as a positive control at a concentration of 100 mg/ml. Cells were incubated for 48 h with a test compound. Arbutin showed 49.3% melanin content at a concentration of 100 ug/ml keeping cell viability at 86.5%.
Name Type Language
ARBUTIN
HSDB   INCI   MART.   MI   WHO-DD  
INCI  
Official Name English
ARBUTINUM
HPUS  
Preferred Name English
ARBUTINUM [HPUS]
Common Name English
ARBUTIN [HSDB]
Common Name English
Arbutin [WHO-DD]
Common Name English
HYDROQUINONE GLUCOSE
Systematic Name English
ARBUTIN [MI]
Common Name English
HYDROQUINONE-.BETA.-D-GLUCOPYRANOSIDE
Common Name English
ARBUTOSIDE
Common Name English
4-HYDROXYPHENYL-.BETA.-D-GLUCOPYRANOSIDE
Common Name English
NSC-4036
Code English
ARBUTIN [MART.]
Common Name English
URSIN
Common Name English
Classification Tree Code System Code
NCI_THESAURUS C471
Created by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025 , Edited by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025
DSLD 1289 (Number of products:3)
Created by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025 , Edited by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025
Code System Code Type Description
DRUG BANK
DB11217
Created by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025 , Edited by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025
PRIMARY
MERCK INDEX
m2033
Created by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025 , Edited by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025
PRIMARY Merck Index
ECHA (EC/EINECS)
207-850-3
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PRIMARY
HSDB
7661
Created by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025 , Edited by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025
PRIMARY
FDA UNII
C5INA23HXF
Created by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025 , Edited by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025
PRIMARY
CAS
497-76-7
Created by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025 , Edited by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025
PRIMARY
EVMPD
SUB33412
Created by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025 , Edited by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025
PRIMARY
DAILYMED
C5INA23HXF
Created by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025 , Edited by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025
PRIMARY
NCI_THESAURUS
C87429
Created by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025 , Edited by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025
PRIMARY
EPA CompTox
DTXSID7040152
Created by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025 , Edited by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025
PRIMARY
CHEBI
18305
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PRIMARY
DRUG CENTRAL
4267
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PRIMARY
SMS_ID
100000126183
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PRIMARY
RXCUI
1367175
Created by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025 , Edited by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025
PRIMARY RxNorm
NSC
4036
Created by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025 , Edited by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025
PRIMARY
PUBCHEM
440936
Created by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025 , Edited by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025
PRIMARY
WIKIPEDIA
ARBUTIN
Created by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025 , Edited by admin on Mon Mar 31 17:54:35 GMT 2025
PRIMARY