β-Arbutin, also known by its International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI) name, arbutin, is a glycosylated derivative of hydroquinone. β-Arbutin is naturally present in the leaves and bark of a variety of plants, notably the bearberry plant, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi. Utilized as a biosynthetic active ingredient in topical treatments for skin lightening, β-arbutin is aimed at addressing hyperpigmentation issues. Its mechanism of action involves inhibiting the activity of tyrosinase, an essential enzyme for melanin synthesis in the human skin, thereby leading to a reduction in hyperp
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β-Arbutin, also known by its International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI) name, arbutin, is a glycosylated derivative of hydroquinone. β-Arbutin is naturally present in the leaves and bark of a variety of plants, notably the bearberry plant, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi. Utilized as a biosynthetic active ingredient in topical treatments for skin lightening, β-arbutin is aimed at addressing hyperpigmentation issues. Its mechanism of action involves inhibiting the activity of tyrosinase, an essential enzyme for melanin synthesis in the human skin, thereby leading to a reduction in hyperpigmentation. It is important to distinguish β-arbutin from its structurally similar stereoisomer, α-arbutin, which exhibits similar effects in clinical applications.
== Properties == Arbutin is a compound where a glucose molecule, specifically -glucose, is chemically bound to hydroquinone. In aqueous solutions, glucose can exist in one of three stereoisomeric forms: α, β, or γ, with the β-anomer being the predominant form. The standard known form of arbutin, β-Arbutin, has a molecular formula of C12H16O7 and a molecular weight of 272.25g/mol. Its stereoisomers, α-arbutin and γ-arbutin, share the same molecular formula and weight but are distinct in their atoms' spatial arrangement.
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