Moderate Cosmetic Ingredient

Methyl Xanthine

INCI: METHYL XANTHINE (ALSO KNOWN AS 7-METHYLXANTHINE / HETEROXANTHINE)

CAS Number
552-62-5
Function
Function not specifically reported in CosIng; closely related to caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline, which function as skin-conditioning agents
Safety Rating
MODERATE

Regulatory Status

🇪🇺 EU Status permitted
🇺🇸 US Status permitted
US Notes Allowed - CIR Expert Panel assessed the related methylxanthines (caffeine, theobromine, theophylline) as safe in current practices of use and concentration

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

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)
not established
Dermal Absorption
low
Sensitization
low

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Expert Verdict

Part of the xanthine alkaloid family; the CIR safety assessment of methylxanthines found negative carcinogenicity and acceptable toxicity profiles. Heterocyclic purine derivative (2,6-dihydroxy-7-methylpurine); structurally related to caffeine but with weaker stimulant effects; metabolite of caffeine

⚠️
Concern Level: High

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Methyl Xanthine safe in cosmetics?

Part of the xanthine alkaloid family; the CIR safety assessment of methylxanthines found negative carcinogenicity and acceptable toxicity profiles. Heterocyclic purine derivative (2,6-dihydroxy-7-methylpurine); structurally related to caffeine but with weaker stimulant effects; metabolite of caffeine The EU classifies Methyl Xanthine as "permitted". Safety rating: MODERATE.

Is Methyl Xanthine allowed in the EU?

Methyl Xanthine EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Methyl Xanthine do in cosmetics?

Methyl Xanthine functions as: Function not specifically reported in CosIng; closely related to caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline, which function as skin-conditioning agents. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 552-62-5.

What is the Margin of Safety for Methyl Xanthine?

not established 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.

Compliance Tools

Check Methyl Xanthine 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 55 jurisdictions
 🧮
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
 ⚗️
Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions

Related Ingredients

Camellia Sinensis Leaf/Iron Hydroxide Powder
Moderate
sh-Spinorphin SP
Moderate
Sodium Methacrylate/Styrene Copolymer
Good
Sapphire Powder
Excellent
Isostearamidopropyl Morpholine
Moderate
Browse all 30,000+ ingredients →
📱

Is Methyl Xanthine 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 Methyl Xanthine in your formulation.

Ingredient Decoder MoS Calculator