Is INDIRUBIN safe to use in EU cosmetics?

INDIRUBIN is listed in the EU CosIng ingredient inventory with no direct annex restriction records linked at this time. Always verify against the current official CosIng database before formulating.

What function does INDIRUBIN serve in cosmetics?

According to the EU CosIng inventory, INDIRUBIN carries the following function designation(s): SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SKIN PROTECTING, SKIN CONDITIONING - HUMECTANT.

What other records share CAS 479-41-4?

CAS 479-41-4 may appear across multiple EU annex records. The CAS lookup page shows all Annex II–VI entries sharing this identifier, useful for identifying cross-annex regulatory status of the same chemical substance.

How do I check if my formula contains INDIRUBIN?

Use the INCI Checker to screen a full ingredient list across selected markets, or use the substance market comparison to review this identity across all supported market datasets.

InventoryRef cosing-live-1000762023-05-23

INDIRUBIN

Indirubin is the organic compound that conforms to the formula:

INDIRUBIN is listed in the EU CosIng inventory, but no direct annex records are linked on this page yet.

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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.

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Chemical identity and properties

PubChem 2D chemical structure for CAS 479-41-4

CAS 479-41-4PubChem CID 10177

2H-Indol-2-one, 3-(1,3-dihydro-3-oxo-2H-indol-2-ylidene)-1,3-dihydro-

2'-hydroxy-1'H-[2,3'-biindol]-3-one has been reported in Calanthe discolor, Couroupita guianensis, and Isatis tinctoria with data available. — LOTUS - the natural products occurrence database

IUPAC name: 2-(2-hydroxy-1H-indol-3-yl)indol-3-one

Molecular formula: C16H10N2O2
Molecular weight: 262.26 g/mol
Exact mass: 262.074227566 Da
XLogP3: 2.7
Topological polar surface area: 65.5 Å²
Hydrogen-bond donors: 2
Hydrogen-bond acceptors: 3
Covalent units: 1
Defined stereocentres: 0

Also known as

RefChem:4842852H-Indol-2-one, 3-(1,3-dihydro-3-oxo-2H-indol-2-ylidene)-1,3-dihydro-(9CI)610-392-0IndirubinIndigopurpurinCouroupitine BIndigo Red(Z)-[2,3'-biindolinylidene]-2',3-dione

16 more reported names

[2,3'-Biindolinylidene]-2',3-dioneIsoindirubin(E)-[2,3'-biindolinylidene]-2',3-dioneIsoindirubineIsoindogotinIndirubin [MI]NSC-1053272H-Indol-2-one,3-(1,3-dihydro-3-oxo-2H-indol-2-ylidene)-1,3-dihydro-(Z)-IndirubinZ-Indirubin-D8NSC 105327INDARUBICIN3-(1,3-dihydro-3-oxo-2h-indol-2-ylidene)-1,3-dihydro-2h-indol-2-oneC.I. 73200(3Z)-3-(1,3-Dihydro-3-oxo-2H-indol-2-ylidene)-1,3-dihydro-2H-indol-2-one(3Z)-3-(3-oxoindolin-2-ylidene)indolin-2-one

Open full PubChem record PubChem annotations 3D structure image

External database identifiers

ChEBI:CHEBI:92322
ChEMBL:CHEMBL1276127
ChEMBL:CHEMBL3185783
ChEMBL:CHEMBL35349
EPA DTXSID:DTXSID201026053
EPA DTXSID:DTXSID501026052
PubMed:23749163
PubMed:18824607

Retrieved from NIH PubChem on 2026-08-31 by checksum-valid CAS matching. Chemical properties do not replace the regulatory decision on this page.

Official European Commission record

CosIng substance ID: 100076
Entry status: Active
Published in the Official Journal: Yes
Recorded by the Commission: 2023-05-23

Open this entry in the official CosIng database

Fields as published by the European Commission. The link opens the entry itself, not a search for it.

Inventory details for INDIRUBIN

INCI name

INDIRUBIN

Description

Indirubin is the organic compound that conforms to the formula:

Record provenance

Inventory reference: cosing-live-100076
Imported identity: INDIRUBIN
Source update: 2023-05-23

European Commission CosIng source notes

Annex records for INDIRUBIN

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Key data

CAS

479-41-4

—

Restriction

—

Function

SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT: Acting as lubricants on the skin surface providing the skin with a soft and smooth appearance.
SKIN PROTECTING: Helping to avoid harmful effects to the skin from external factors.
SKIN CONDITIONING - HUMECTANT: Increasing the water content of the top layers of the skin. Humectants are primarily hygroscopic agents drawing moisture from the surrounding air.

Official EU ingredient-name evidence

The ingredient name exactly matches the official 2025 EU glossary of common ingredient names.

#13529 · INDIRUBIN

Ingredients with overlapping formulation functions

HYDROLYZED YELLOW CROAKER SWIM BLADDER CELL LYSATEANTIOXIDANT; SKIN CONDITIONING - HUMECTANT; SKIN CONDITIONING - MISCELLANEOUS

HYDROXYETHOXYETHYL CAPRYLAMIDEHAIR CONDITIONING; SKIN PROTECTING; SKIN CONDITIONING - HUMECTANT

IDEBENONYL NICOTINATEANTIOXIDANT; HAIR CONDITIONING; PRESERVATIVE; SKIN PROTECTING; SKIN CONDITIONING - HUMECTANT; SKIN …

ILEX CORNUTA LEAF EXTRACTSKIN CONDITIONING - HUMECTANT

IRPEX LACTEUS FERMENT FILTRATE EXTRACTHAIR CONDITIONING; SKIN PROTECTING; SKIN CONDITIONING - HUMECTANT

ISOMALTULOSESKIN CONDITIONING - HUMECTANT; SKIN CONDITIONING - MISCELLANEOUS

ISOTRIACONTANEANTIOXIDANT, ASTRINGENT, HAIR CONDITIONING, HUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SKIN CONDITIO…

JOJOBA OIL PROPANEDIOL ESTERSEMULSION STABILISING, HAIR CONDITIONING, HUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SKIN CONDITIONIN…

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

ECHA CHEM / Information on chemicals PubChem PUG REST EU Safety Gate cosmetic product alerts ECHA CHEM US EPA CompTox Cosmetic Ingredient Review safety assessments FDA Global Substance Registration System ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards Japan NITE-CHRIP NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards OECD eChemPortal

How INDIRUBIN appears in the CosIng inventory

The CosIng inventory lists INDIRUBIN 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.

INDIRUBIN is also tagged with 3 cosmetic functions 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

INDIRUBIN is listed in the EU CosIng ingredient inventory with no direct annex restriction records linked at this time. Absence of an annex link does not guarantee unrestricted use — always verify against the current official CosIng database before formulating.

According to the EU CosIng inventory, INDIRUBIN carries the following function designation(s):

CAS 479-41-4 may appear across multiple EU annex records. Viewing the CAS lookup page shows all Annex II–VI entries sharing this identifier, which is useful for identifying cross-annex regulatory status of the same chemical substance.

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Source note for INDIRUBIN

This page reproduces the CosIng inventory entry for INDIRUBIN 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 INDIRUBIN 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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