Alpha Arbutin is the terminal isomer of natural arbutin and is also a glycosylated hydroquinone. Alpha Arbutin can significantly improve pigmentation and whiten the skin, and can be used in the cosmetics industry as a safer alternative to hydroquinone. Alpha Arbutin is synthetic, produced by enzymatic glycosylation of hydroquinone with the aid of Alpha amylase and dextrin. It is the Alpha terminal isomer of β arbutin. Like β arbutin, its main advantage is that it is an enzyme inhibitor of human tyrosinase.
Uses of Alpha Arbutin
Alpha Arbutin can significantly improve pigmentation and whiten the skin, and can be used in the cosmetics industry as a safer alternative to hydroquinone. Alpha Arbutin also has antioxidant properties, protecting the skin from free radical damage.
According to research, Alpha arbutin showed a significant reduction in melanin synthesis in cultured human melanoma cells and three dimensional human skin model experiments, and melanin synthesis was reduced to 40% of the control group, indicating that it is effective as a skin whitening agent and does not affect cell viability.
It is often added to skin care products that lighten freckles, chloasma, and improve various hyperpigmented skin to even out skin tone. Generally, the recommended amount of Alpha arbutin in creams and essences is up to 2%, and the maximum amount in body lotions is 0.5%.
How Alpha Arbutin Works
The mechanism of action of Alpha arbutin is to reduce the production of melanin by competitively inhibiting tyrosinase, but it does not affect the mRNA gene expression of tyrosinase, thereby achieving the purpose of whitening. Its tyrosinase inhibition effect is more significant than that of ordinary arbutin.
Because tyrosinase is essential for the synthesis of melanin, Alpha arbutin can directly inhibit the enzymatic activity of tyrosinase. Tyrosinase catalyzes the first two steps of melanin production: hydroxylation of tyrosine to l DOPA and oxidation of l DOPA to dopaquinone. By inhibiting tyrosinase, alpha arbutin can significantly inhibit the formation of melanin in melanocytes, thereby achieving a whitening effect.
alpha arbutin can not only reduce melanin deposition, but also does not affect the gene expression of tyrosinase mRNA. That is to say, alpha arbutin inhibits the activity of tyrosinase, but does not reduce the production of enzymes at the genetic level.
After melanin is reduced, the skin color becomes lighter, and alpha arbutin can alleviate hyperpigmentation. The efficacy of alpha arbutin in reducing melanin synthesis has been confirmed in cultured human melanoma cells and three dimensional human skin models, and it effectively reduces the synthesis of melanin.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%91 Arbutin