Is Quercetin safe in cosmetics?
Quercetin has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Good
Active Ingredient
Quercetin
INCI: QUERCETIN
Quercetin (CAS 117-39-5) is a cosmetic active ingredient functioning as Flavonol polyphenol ubiquitous in plant kingdom (onion skin, apple peel,. 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 data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 117-39-5 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
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.
Safety Rating
GOOD
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.
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Quercetin.
Regulatory Flags
eu-unrestricted
gras-fda
no-sccs-opinion
endocrine_disruptor
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical 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
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.
Is Quercetin used outside cosmetics?
Quercetin also appears in pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
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Substance Compliance
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MoS Calculator
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Heavy Metal Limits
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