Arbutin is commercially used as a skin-whitening agent in cosmetic industry. Depending on the spatial structure of the glycosidic linkage between glucose and hydroquinone, arbutin forms two epimers: α-arbutin and β-arbutin.

Beta-Arbutin

Beta-Arbutin is often referred to as just Arbutin. It is can be naturally extracted from plants such as bearberry and synthesized by chemical method. Synthesized Beta-Arbutin is currently one of the most widely used hypopigmenting agents in cosmetics, while plant-derived drugs containing Beta-Arbutin were initially used for the treatment of urinary tract infections, cystitis, kidney stones, and as diuretics in the medical field.
 

Alpha-Arbutin

Alpha-Arbutin is enzymatically synthesized from hydroquinone and saccharides through transglycosylation reaction. Various carbohydrate-active enzymes such as α-amylase, α-glucosidase, transglucosidase, sucrose phosphorylase, and dextransucrase have been employed to synthesize Alpha-Arbutin. It is one of the most advanced skin lightening ingredients on the market.