What does alpha arbutin do to the skin?
What is α-Arbutin?
Arbutin is extracted from the leaves of bearberry. Arbutin, a hydroquinone glucoside compound, is a glucosylated derivative of hydroquinone. It is a natural active ingredient with certain physiological functions and is widely present in animal, plant and microbial cells.
α-Arbutin is prepared by sugar conversion by microbial enzymes. Its stability and effectiveness are better than β-Arbutin, and its whitening effect is 10 times that of β-Arbutin. It is now widely used by many cosmetic brands in the world.
What Are The Effects Of α-Arbutin?
Its main role in skin care is to inhibit melanin, reduce skin pigmentation, and play a role in removing spots, sterilization and anti-inflammatory. Both α-arbutin and β-arbutin can be used as cosmetic whitening additives. When added to cosmetics, they can play a good role in whitening and removing spots. Studies have shown that the whitening effect of α-arbutin is much stronger than that of β-arbutin (about 10-15 times).
1.Whitening and lightening spots
The formation of spots is mainly due to damage to epidermal cells. When stimulated by external ultraviolet rays, various electronic radiations, environmental pollution, etc., basal melanocytes will secrete melanin. The formation of melanin in the human body is due to the action of tyrosine and tyrosinase. In order to resist the damage of external stimuli to the basal cells, excessive melanin cannot be metabolized out of the epidermis normally, resulting in uneven skin color, dull skin, and even spots and other skin problems. In daily life, we are in various unfavorable environments, and our skin will inevitably become darker, such as: sun exposure, visceral diseases, mental factors, poor sleep, vitamins, amino acid metabolism disorders in the body, skin inflammation, etc. Increased melanin will make the skin color darker. Therefore, people need whitening products to whiten and maintain their skin, and α-arbutin is recognized as an ideal whitening product in the 21st century. Its mechanism of action is similar to that of Vitamin C. Arbutin can inhibit tyrosinase by combining itself with tyrosinase, thereby inhibiting the accumulation of melanin in human skin, thereby achieving the effect of brightening the skin color and whitening spots.
2.Anti-inflammatory repair
In addition, arbutin is often used in medicines. Arbutin also has analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. Some burn creams contain arbutin, not only because arbutin can reduce scars, but also because arbutin has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects to a certain extent. This can make the burned skin tissue heal quickly and relieve the pain to a certain extent. Arbutin is also commonly found in some acne products and other products.
What Is The Application Of α-Arbutin?
The application fields of α-arbutin mainly include pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and personal care products.
1.Pharmaceutical field
α-Arbutin has important application value in the pharmaceutical field. It has significant antioxidant effects, scavenging free radicals and protecting cells from oxidative damage. In addition, α-arbutin can also lower blood pressure and blood lipids, and has preventive and therapeutic effects on cardiovascular diseases. Its anti-inflammatory effect can reduce the inflammatory response, and has a relieving effect on diseases such as arthritis and skin inflammation. In terms of skin protection, α-arbutin can reduce wrinkles and pigmentation, increase the content of collagen and elastic fibers in the skin.
2.Cosmetics and personal care products
α-Arbutin is also widely used in cosmetics and personal care products. It can inhibit the production and deposition of melanin, remove stains and freckles, and maintain white skin. α-Arbutin is mainly an active ingredient extracted from bear fruit leaves. It can combine with tyrosinase in melanocytes and inhibit its activity, thereby achieving the effect of whitening and lightening spots. In addition, it also has the functions of whitening and lightening spots, antioxidation, anti-inflammatory and sterilizing, etc. It is suitable for people with more acne and blackheads.
The Difference Between α-Arbutin and β-Arbutin
Alpha arbutin and beta arbutin are two common whitening ingredients, the main differences between them are their sources, physical properties, whitening effects, stability and safety.
1.Source and preparation method: α-arbutin can generally only undergo sugar transfer reactions through enzymes of different microorganisms, allowing one molecule of glucose and one molecule of hydroquinone to combine to form a single α-arbutin. β-arbutin can be prepared by three methods: plant extraction, cell culture and artificial synthesis.
2.Physical properties: The optical rotation of α-arbutin is about +180 degrees, while the optical rotation of β-arbutin is about -60 degrees. In addition, α-arbutin is more soluble in water and resistant to high temperatures than β-arbutin, and has good photostability.
3.Whitening effect: α-arbutin is 10-15 times more effective in inhibiting melanin production than β-arbutin, so high-end whitening cosmetics generally use α-arbutin. The inhibitory effect of the alpha type on tyrosinase activity is about 10 times stronger than that of the beta type, and the whitening effect is more than 15 times stronger.
4.Stability: α-arbutin has good stability in aqueous and oily matrices and is not easily affected by light, heat and pH. In contrast, β-arbutin is more likely to decompose and fail under some conditions.
5.Safety: α-arbutin is considered to be a safer whitening ingredient with low skin irritation and is suitable for people with different skin types. β-arbutin is also safer, but may cause skin irritation or allergic reactions in some cases, especially when used in high concentrations or on sensitive skin.
In summary, α-arbutin is superior to β-arbutin in whitening effect, stability and safety.