Is Quercetin safe in cosmetics?
Quercetin has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted. 2 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Quercetin
Also known as: 5-18-05-00494, BRN 0317313, CI Natural Yellow 10, EINECS 204-187-1, T-Gelb bzw. grun 1 (+14 more)
INCI: QUERCETIN
Quercetin (CAS 117-39-5) is a cosmetic active ingredient functioning as Flavonol polyphenol ubiquitous in plant kingdom (onion skin, apple peel,. Reported NOAEL =780 mg/kg bw/day in Rat (ECHA); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted, max 0.1–0.5%. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in pharmaceutical and food safety data.
Function
Flavonol polyphenol ubiquitous in plant kingdom (onion skin, apple peel, blueberry, capers, green tea). Mechanisms: direct free-radical scavenging (hydroxyl, superoxide, peroxyl, alkoxyl); chelation of pro-oxidant metal cations (Cu2+, Fe2+) blocking Fenton reactions; inhibition of collagenase, elastase, and hyaluronidase preserving ECM structural integrity; anti-inflammatory via 5-LOX, COX-2, and NF-kB pathway inhibition; upregulation of endogenous antioxidant enzymes. Anti-aging, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory active. Poor water solubility (~0.01 mg/mL) limits aqueous formulation; encapsulation (liposomes, cyclodextrins, nanoemulsions) required for effective delivery.
Editorial assessment
GOOD
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
EU Max Conc.
0.1–0.5%
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
GRAS status granted 2010 for QU995 formulation (food use). Permitted as cosmetic ingredient with no pre-market approval required. Not GRASE-classified for OTC sunscreen use. FDA withdrew drug approval for quercetin-containing drugs in 1970 due to insufficient efficacy evidence.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Quercetin.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
2 study endpoints found for Quercetin. 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 | =780 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | chronic | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =3120 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | chronic | ECHA |
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
10 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOEL | =20 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | short-term | ECOTOX |
| NOAEL | =3120 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =780 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =780 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =3120 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =780 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | chronic | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =3120 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | chronic | ECHA |
| NOEL | =20 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | short-term | ECOTOX |
| NOEL | =20 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | short-term | ECOTOX |
| NOEL | =20 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | short-term | ECOTOX |
IARC Carcinogenicity
International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) monograph evaluation.
IARC Group
3
Volume
Sup 7, 73
Evaluation Year
1998
Endocrine Disruptor Evidence (Expanded)
Cross-referenced EDC classifications, mechanism data, and dose-response evidence from EDLists, SIN List, and cosmetic-specific detail sources.
Cosmetic-Specific Mechanism
Category: other
Receptor targets: ERα, ERβ, AhR
LOEC: 100 nM
EU status: allowed
agonist (ER); AhR modulator
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Antioxidant
Softener and conditioner
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Quercetin — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
eu-unrestricted
gras-fda
no-sccs-opinion
endocrine_disruptor
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Quercetin by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
2
Lowest NOAEL
780 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
3120 mg/kg bw/day
ECHA
Known Synonyms
5-18-05-00494
BRN 0317313
CI Natural Yellow 10
EINECS 204-187-1
T-Gelb bzw. grun 1
Quercetin content
Quercitin
Kvercetin
UNII-9IKM0I5T1E
2-(3,4-Dihydroxy-phenyl)-3,5,7-trihydroxy-chromen-4-one
2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,5,7-trihydroxy-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one
3',4',5,7-Tetrahydroxyflavan-3-ol
3',4',5,7-Tetrahydroxyflavon-3-ol
3,3',4',5,7-pentahydroxyflavone
3,4',5,5',7-Pentahydroxy-Flavone
3,5,7-Trihydroxy-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-4H-chromen-4-on
Flavin meletin
Quercetin dihydrate
xanthaurine
Chemical Function
Antioxidant
Softener and conditioner
Regulatory Lists
active_ingredient; Europe; Pesticides
Canada; pharmaceutical
Canada; pharmaceutical
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
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
QUERCETIN
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL50
Max Phase
3
Adverse Event Associations
316
SOURCE
EFSA / FDA GRAS
food_additives + fda_gras_enriched
Food Safety Data
Same-CAS food additive or FDA GRAS records from the core public database.
Food Name
Quercetin
FDA GRAS
FDA has no questions; some uses may require a color additive listing
GRN
341
Food Category
preservative
Ingredient in beverages and beverage bases, grain products and pastas, processed fruits and fruit juices, and soft candies at levels up to 500 milligrams per serving
View full food safety profile →Frequently Asked Questions
Is Quercetin allowed in the EU?
Quercetin EU regulatory status: permitted. Maximum allowed concentration: 0.1–0.5%. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Quercetin do in cosmetics?
Quercetin functions as: Flavonol polyphenol ubiquitous in plant kingdom (onion skin, apple peel, blueberry, capers, green tea). Mechanisms: direct free-radical scavenging (hydroxyl, superoxide, peroxyl, alkoxyl); chelation of pro-oxidant metal cations (Cu2+, Fe2+) blocking Fenton reactions; inhibition of collagenase, elastase, and hyaluronidase preserving ECM structural integrity; anti-inflammatory via 5-LOX, COX-2, and NF-kB pathway inhibition; upregulation of endogenous antioxidant enzymes. Anti-aging, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory active. Poor water solubility (~0.01 mg/mL) limits aqueous formulation; encapsulation (liposomes, cyclodextrins, nanoemulsions) required for effective delivery.. It is classified as a Active Ingredient in our database. CAS number: 117-39-5.
What is the NOAEL for Quercetin?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Quercetin is =780 mg/kg bw/day based on a chronic study via oral route in Rat. A total of 2 study endpoints are available. Source: ECHA.
Is Quercetin used outside cosmetics?
Quercetin also appears in pharmaceutical and food safety data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check Quercetin compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
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82 Allergen Checker
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Substance Compliance
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MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
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