Arbutin-d4 is intended for use as an internal standard for the quantification of arbutin by GC- or LC-MS. Arbutin is a glycosylated hydroquinone that has been found in Arctostaphylos plants and has diverse biological activities, including tyrosinase inhibitory, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.1,2 It inhibits human tyrosinase activity in crude tyrosinase solution isolated from human melanocytes (IC50s = 5.7 and 18.9 mM using L-tyrosine and L-DOPA as substrates, respectively) as well as in intact melanocytes (IC50 = 0.5 mM).3 Arbutin (50 μM) inhibits hemolysis induced by the free radical generator AAPH in sheep erythrocytes and inhibits AAPH-induced decreases in cell viability in cultured human skin fibroblasts when used at concentrations greater than 125 μM.2 In an LPS-induced rat model of acute lung injury, arbutin (50 mg/kg) prevents increases in IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α levels in lung tissue and serum.4 Formulations containing arbutin have been used in the treatment of hyperpigmentation disorders.
1.Seo, D.-H., Jung, J.-H., Lee, J.-E., et al.Biotechnological production of arbutins (α- and β-arbutins), skin-lightening agents, and their derivativesAppl. Microbiol. Biotechnol.95(6)1417-1425(2012) 2.Takebayashi, J., Ishii, R., Chen, J., et al.Reassessment of antioxidant activity of arbutin: Multifaceted evaluation using five antioxidant assay systemsFree Radic. Res.44(4)473-478(2010) 3.Maeda, K., and Fukuda, M.Arbutin: Mechanism of its depigmenting action in human melanocyte cultureJ. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther.276(2)765-769(1996) 4.Ye, J., Guan, M., Lu, Y., et al.Arbutin attenuates LPS-induced lung injury via Sirt1/ Nrf2/ NF-κBp65 pathwayPulm. Pharmacol. Ther.5453-59(2019)