Extracted from the dried leaves of bearberry plant in the genus _Arctostaphylos_ and other plants commonly in the _Ericaceae_ family, arbutin is a beta-D-glucopyranoside of [DB09526]. It is found in foods, over-the-counter drugs, and herbal dietary supplements [F43]. Most commonly, it is an active ingredient in skincare and cosmetic products as a skin-lightening agent for the prevention of melanin formation in various skin conditions that involve cutaneous hyperpigmentation or hyperactive melanocyte function [A27248]. It has also been used as an anti-infective for the urinary system as well as a diuretic [F43]. Arbutin is available in both natural and synthetic forms; it can be synthesized from acetobromglucose and [DB09526] [F43]. Arbutin is a competitive inhibitor of tyrosinase (E.C.1.14.18.1) in melanocytes [A27248], and the inhibition of melanin synthesis at non-toxic concentrations was observed _in vitro_. Arbutin was shown to be less cytotoxic to melanocytes in culture compared to [DB09526] [A32942].
Synonyms
p-hydroxyphenyl ¦Â-D-glucopyranoside
Arbutin
hydroquinone O-¦Â-D-glucopyranoside
p-hydroxyphenyl ¦Â-D-glucoside
Hydroquinone-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside
4-Hydroxyphenyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside
beta-Arbutin
Brand Names
Skin79 Snail Nutrition Bbcream
Sooryehan Pure Whitening
Suyan Jeongbaek
Cellbn Damage Multi Action Toner
First C Superfull
Recovery Balm
SuperPlus Beblesh Balm Triple Functions SPF25 PA 2Plus
SuperPlus Beblesh Balm SPF25 PA 2Plus
Vitabrid C12 FACE Pow der 3g
Derma Blemish Balm blemish balm
Super Plus Beblesh Balm Triple Functions SPF50 Plus PA 3Plus (40g)
Drug Info/Drug Targets: DrugBank 3.0: a comprehensive resource for 'omics' research on drugs. Knox C, Law V, Jewison
T, Liu P, Ly S, Frolkis A, Pon A, Banco K, Mak C, Neveu V, Djoumbou Y, Eisner R, Guo AC, Wishart DS.
Nucleic Acids Res. 2011 Jan; 39 (Database issue):D1035-41. | PMID:21059682
