Ingredient intelligence
Alpha-arbutin
Pigmentation · Alpha-Arbutin · C12H16O7
Arbutin is a glucosylated hydroquinone derivative studied as a tyrosinase inhibitor with slower release than free hydroquinone.
Molecular identity
- Formula
- C12H16O7
- Molecular weight
- 272.25 g/mol
- PubChem CID
- 158637
- ChEBI
- Data unavailable
Biological targets
Tyrosinase (TYR)
medium confidenceinhibits · enzyme
UniProt P14679
How could this ingredient interact with biology?
Biological network
Ingredient → molecule → target → gene/protein → pathway → process → studied outcome. Relationship strength is drawn from the curated confidence tier; nothing is added to make the chain look complete.
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1 lower-confidence relationship is hidden at this filter level. Use “Show more biology” to include them.
Text alternative for this network
- Alpha-arbutin is molecule Alpha-arbutin — high confidence
- Alpha-arbutin inhibits Tyrosinase (TYR) — medium confidence
- Tyrosinase (TYR) encoded by TYR — medium confidence
- TYR participates in Melanin biosynthesis — medium confidence
- Melanin biosynthesis associated with Melanogenesis — medium confidence
Biological pathways
Melanin biosynthesis
medium confidenceCompetitive tyrosinase inhibition in melanocyte models.
Gene Ontology GO:0042438
Evidence engine
Insufficient
Not enough curated evidence to characterise this ingredient.
Skinceptor Evidence Index
11
experimental · of 100
This index is a research-navigation aid describing how much evidence exists and how it was produced. It is not a medical safety score, an efficacy guarantee, or a clinical recommendation.
Study composition
- In-vitro1
- Total studies
- 1
- Human studies
- 0
- Largest sample
- Data unavailable
- Range
- 2004–2004
Index breakdown
- Study design quality25% × 28%
Mean design weight across curated studies (meta-analysis 1.0, RCT 0.9, other human 0.7, review 0.45, animal 0.35, in-vitro 0.25).
- Human evidence share0% × 22%
Proportion of curated evidence measured in people rather than cells or animals.
- Evidence volume32% × 14%
Log-scaled count of curated studies, so volume alone cannot dominate the score.
- Largest sample size0% × 12%
Log-scaled largest reported sample size across curated human studies.
- Replication0% × 12%
Independent human studies, capped at three; one study is never treated as replicated.
- Recency0% × 7%
Linear decay over a twenty-year window from the most recent curated publication.
- Source traceability0% × 5%
Share of curated studies with a verified PMID or DOI in this dataset.
Insufficient comparable evidence for quantitative synthesis.
Research timeline
How the evidence accumulated
2004
Alpha-arbutin inhibits melanin synthesis in human melanocyte culture
In-vitrosample size unavailable · International Journal of Cosmetic Science
Ingredient fingerprint
7 nodes · 6 relationships · seed "arbutin"
The fingerprint is a deterministic visual signature: ridge amplitude comes from the number of entities in each tier, node placement from identifier hashes, and opacity from confidence. Two ingredients can never produce the same figure unless their networks are identical.
Open in Biology as Art →Research
1 curated study
Alpha-arbutin inhibits melanin synthesis in human melanocyte culture
Reported dose-dependent reduction of melanin content in cultured melanocytes.
Limitations — In-vitro only; hydroquinone release in skin not quantified; identifier not verified.
Community evidence
Submitted by readers
Reader submissions appear here only after review. They are not part of the curated dataset and do not affect the Skinceptor Evidence Index.
No approved community submissions yet.
Sources
- PubChem 158637retrieved 2026-09-14
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