ERGOTHIONEINE
Ammonium, [1-carboxy-2-(2-mercaptoimidazol-4-yl)ethyl]trimethyl-, hydroxide, inner salt, L-(+)-
ERGOTHIONEINE is listed in the EU CosIng inventory, but no direct annex records are linked on this page yet.
Regulatory evidence by market
No rule for this ingredient has been imported for any of the 13 markets tracked here.
That describes this inventory, not the law. No imported rule is not evidence that an ingredient is permitted: a rule may exist under another name or identifier, or in a dataset not yet imported here.
Chemical identity and properties
Ergothioneine
Ergothioneine is a L-histidine derivative that is Nalpha,Nalpha,Nalpha-trimethyl-L-histidine in which the hydrogen at position 2 on the imdazole ring is replaced by a mercapto group. A naturally occurring metabolite of histidine synthesized by bacteria and fungi with antioxidant properties. It is found ubiquitously in plants and animals and is present in many human foodstuffs. It has a role as an antioxidant, a chelator, a xenobiotic metabolite, a plant metabolite and a fungal metabolite. It is an amino-acid betaine, a sulfur-containing amino acid and a L-histidine derivative. It is a conjugate base of an ergothioneine(1+). It is a tautomer of an ergothioneine thione form. — ChEBI
- IUPAC name
- (2S)-3-(2-sulfanylidene-1,3-dihydroimidazol-4-yl)-2-(trimethylazaniumyl)propanoate
- Molecular formula
- C9H15N3O2S
- Molecular weight
- 229.30 g/mol
- Exact mass
- 229.08849790 Da
- XLogP3
- 0.3
- Topological polar surface area
- 96.3 Ų
- Hydrogen-bond donors
- 2
- Hydrogen-bond acceptors
- 3
- Covalent units
- 1
- Defined stereocentres
- 1
Also known as
16 more reported names
External database identifiers
- ChEBI:CHEBI:4828
- ChEBI:CHEBI:82707
- ChEMBL:CHEMBL5209630
- EPA DTXSID:DTXSID901020082
- PubMed:38768835
- PubMed:37453608
- PubMed:33580994
- PubMed:20932872
- PubMed:11408205
- PubMed:6735
Retrieved from NIH PubChem on 2026-08-31 by checksum-valid CAS matching. Chemical properties do not replace the regulatory decision on this page.
Inventory details for ERGOTHIONEINE
INCI name
ERGOTHIONEINE
Description
Ammonium, [1-carboxy-2-(2-mercaptoimidazol-4-yl)ethyl]trimethyl-, hydroxide, inner salt, L-(+)-
Record provenance
- Inventory reference
- 56156
- Imported identity
- ERGOTHIONEINE
- Source update
- 15/10/2010
Annex records for ERGOTHIONEINE
Key data
- ANTIOXIDANT
- Inhibiting reactions promoted by oxygen, thus avoiding oxidation and rancidity.
Official EU ingredient-name evidence
The ingredient name exactly matches the official 2025 EU glossary of common ingredient names.
Related inventory evidence
Ingredients with overlapping formulation functions
Additional official and scientific sources
11 external databases to check this identity in
Each link searches that source for this identity. What each source is, and its legal weight
How ERGOTHIONEINE appears in the CosIng inventory
The CosIng inventory lists ERGOTHIONEINE as a cosmetic ingredient and this page links it to 0 annex records. The inventory entry captures names and identifiers, while the annex records show where the substance is prohibited, restricted or positively listed in EU cosmetics law.
ERGOTHIONEINE is also tagged with 1 cosmetic function in the official data. Function labels describe intended use, but they do not replace regulatory review of linked annex records before formulation or labelling work.
Frequently asked questions
Source note for ERGOTHIONEINE
This page reproduces the CosIng inventory entry for ERGOTHIONEINE from public European Commission cosmetic ingredient materials and shows linked identifiers even when no direct annex match is currently attached.
Use this inventory page to research ERGOTHIONEINE and compare linked records, but verify restrictions and legal status against the current official source text and law before making regulatory decisions.
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