Excellent Active Ingredient NOAEL Data Dermal Penetration

L-Arginine

INCI: ARGININE

CAS Number
74-79-3
Function
Nitric oxide precursor; improves microcirculation, nutrient delivery, wound healing, and barrier restoration. Ion-pair formulations with glutamic acid enhance percutaneous absorption.
Safety Rating
EXCELLENT

Regulatory Status

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ EU Status permitted
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ US Status permitted
US Notes Classified GRAS by FDA as a direct food additive. CIR Expert Panel found safe as used in cosmetics.

For full compliance data across 55 jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)
adequate
Dermal Absorption
low
Sensitization
none

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Toxicological Studies

8 study endpoints found for L-Arginine. NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) values are used to calculate the Margin of Safety per SCCS methodology.

Endpoint Value Route Species Study Type Source
NOAEL 1000 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Subchronic COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 50 mg/kg bw/day oral mouse Carcinogenicity COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 174 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Special Toxicology Study COSMOS_DB
dose_tested 1000 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Subchronic COSMOS_DB
dose_tested 50 mg/kg bw/day oral mouse Carcinogenicity COSMOS_DB
dose_tested 174 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Special Toxicology Study COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 3130.9 mg/kg bw/day oral rat oral REACH
NOAEL 3318 mg/kg bw/day oral rat oral REACH

Dermal Penetration Profile

Skin absorption and penetration characteristics of L-Arginine, relevant to systemic exposure and MoS calculations.

Absorption %
2-5%
Penetration Level
surface
Penetration Depth
stratum corneum
Molecular Weight
174.2 Da
Log P
-4.2
Systemic Absorption
minimal
Topical Bioavailability
1-3%
Safety Margin Factor
low
Vehicle Dependent
Yes โ€” absorption varies by formulation

Source: J Cosmet Sci 2017

Expert Verdict

L-Arginine is the sole precursor for nitric oxide synthesis in skin with GRAS status from FDA and CIR safety confirmation. Ion-pair formulations demonstrate superior wound healing, barrier restoration, and elasticity improvement with no safety concerns at typical use levels.

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Concern Level: None

Regulatory Flags

eu_children_restricted fda_food_additive jecfa_safe

Frequently Asked Questions

Is L-Arginine safe in cosmetics?

L-Arginine is the sole precursor for nitric oxide synthesis in skin with GRAS status from FDA and CIR safety confirmation. Ion-pair formulations demonstrate superior wound healing, barrier restoration, and elasticity improvement with no safety concerns at typical use levels. The EU classifies L-Arginine as "permitted". Safety rating: EXCELLENT. 8 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.

Is L-Arginine allowed in the EU?

L-Arginine EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does L-Arginine do in cosmetics?

L-Arginine functions as: Nitric oxide precursor; improves microcirculation, nutrient delivery, wound healing, and barrier restoration. Ion-pair formulations with glutamic acid enhance percutaneous absorption.. It is classified as a Active Ingredient in our database. CAS number: 74-79-3.

What is the Margin of Safety for L-Arginine?

adequate The Margin of Safety (MoS) is calculated using SCCS methodology. A MoS above 100 is generally considered safe. Use the MoS Calculator tool to calculate MoS for your specific formulation and product category.

What is the NOAEL for L-Arginine?

The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for L-Arginine is 1000 mg/kg bw/day based on a Subchronic study via oral route in rat. A total of 8 study endpoints are available. Source: COSMOS_DB.

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