Is L-Arginine safe in cosmetics?
L-Arginine has a safety rating of "EXCELLENT" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
L-Arginine
Also known as: Arginine, L-, 4-04-00-02648, (S)-2-Amino-5-((aminoiminomethyl)amino)pentanoic acid, 1-Amino-4-guanidovaleric acid, (L)-Arginine (+14 more)
INCI: ARGININE
L-Arginine (CAS 74-79-3) is a cosmetic active ingredient functioning as Nitric oxide precursor; improves microcirculation, nutrient delivery, wound. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety, pharmaceutical, and food safety data.
Function
Nitric oxide precursor; improves microcirculation, nutrient delivery, wound healing, and barrier restoration. Ion-pair formulations with glutamic acid enhance percutaneous absorption.
Editorial assessment
EXCELLENT
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US 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 multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for L-Arginine.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
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 — absorption varies by formulation
Source: J Cosmet Sci 2017
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
1 toxicity value from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOAEL | =3.131 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | subchronic | EFSA |
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
1,000 - 10,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Typical Use Concentrations
Reported concentration ranges per product category from SCCS/CIR/industry sources.
| Product Category | Typical Range | Max Reported | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Face Cream | 0.1–1 | 2 | CIR Safety Assessment |
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Anti-static agent
Deodorizer
Flavouring and nutrient
Softener and conditioner
Regulatory List Membership (3)
EU Regulated in Personal Care
EU Restricted for Children (Cosmetics)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for L-Arginine — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
eu_children_restricted
fda_food_additive
jecfa_safe
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to L-Arginine by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
12
Lowest NOAEL
3131 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
3879 mg/kg bw/day
ECHA
Known Synonyms
Arginine, L-
4-04-00-02648
(S)-2-Amino-5-((aminoiminomethyl)amino)pentanoic acid
1-Amino-4-guanidovaleric acid
(L)-Arginine
BRN 1725413
EINECS 200-811-1
L-Norvaline, 5-((aminoiminomethyl)amino)-
Pentanoic acid, 2-amino-5-((aminoiminomethyl)amino)-, (S)-
Argininum
UNII-94ZLA3W45F
(2S)-2-amino-5-(carbamimidamido)pentanoic acid
(2S)-2-amino-5-(diaminomethylideneamino)pentanoic acid
(2S)-2-amino-5-[(diaminomethylidene)amino]pentanoic acid
(2S)-2-amino-5-guanidino-pentanoic acid
(2S)-2-amino-5-guanidinopentanoic acid
(S)-2-Amino-5-[(aminoiminomethyl)amino]pentanoate
(S)-2-amino-5-[(aminoiminomethyl)amino]-Pentanoate
(S)-2-amino-5-[(aminoiminomethyl)amino]-Pentanoic acid
Chemical Function
Anti-static agent
Deodorizer
Softener and conditioner
Flavouring and nutrient
Regulatory Lists
pharmaceutical
children; Europe; Personal care
children; Europe; Personal care - general moisturizing - hand/body lotion
Europe; Personal care
Europe; Personal care
Canada; pharmaceutical
Europe
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical and food safety data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
Compound
ARGININE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL1485
Max Phase
3
Adverse Event Associations
184
SOURCE
EFSA / FDA GRAS
fda_gras_enriched
Food Safety Data
Same-CAS food additive or FDA GRAS records from the core public database.
Food Name
L-arginine
FDA GRAS
FDA has no questions
GRN
290
As an ingredient in a brine solution to be injected into beef subprimals, or mixed with ground beef to make beef patties. The brine solution contains levels of L-arginine between 0.2 - 0.6 percent
View full food safety profile →Frequently Asked Questions
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.
Is L-Arginine used outside cosmetics?
L-Arginine also appears in industrial chemical safety, pharmaceutical, and food safety data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check L-Arginine compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
Paste a full ingredient list for instant analysis
82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
Substance Compliance
Check compliance across multiple jurisdictions
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions
Related Ingredients
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5
EXCELLENT
Same category
Anti-edema peptide for periorbital ar...
Activated Charcoal
EXCELLENT
Same category
Adsorbent; skin cleanser; pore-cleans...
Adenosine
EXCELLENT
Same category
Skin-conditioning agent, anti-aging, ...
Allantoin
EXCELLENT
Same category
Skin conditioner, keratolytic, anti-i...
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
EXCELLENT
Same category
prebiotic, skin-conditioning
Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract
EXCELLENT
Same category
Skin Brightening, Tyrosinase Inhibito...
1-Methylhydantoin-2-imide (Creatinine)
EXCELLENT
Similar safety
Skin conditioning (skin brightening/l...
2,6-Dimethyl-7-octen-2-ol (Dihydromyrcenol)
EXCELLENT
Similar safety
Fragrance (perfuming), masking
2-Ethoxy-2,6,6-Trimethyl-9-Methylenebicyclo[3.3.1]Nonane (Boisiris™)
EXCELLENT
Similar safety
Fragrance (rich woody, orris/iris roo...
2-Hydroxypropylcarbamato Amodimethicone
EXCELLENT
Similar safety
Hair conditioning; modified aminosili...
2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
EXCELLENT
Similar safety
Softener and conditioner
3 O Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
EXCELLENT
Similar safety
Antioxidant; tyrosinase inhibitor; me...
Arginine
EXCELLENT
Chemical family
Amino acid / pH Adjuster
Ethane
GOOD
Chemical family
Propellant
Propane
GOOD
Chemical family
Propellant (aerosol products)
Is L-Arginine in Your Products?
Scan any product label with Piro — our free ingredient scanner. Point your camera at the ingredients list and get instant safety scores for every ingredient.
Try Piro Free →Analyze Your Full Ingredient List
Paste any INCI list into the Decoder for instant safety analysis, or calculate the Margin of Safety for L-Arginine in your formulation.