Is EPICATECHIN safe to use in EU cosmetics?

EPICATECHIN 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 EPICATECHIN serve in cosmetics?

According to the EU CosIng inventory, EPICATECHIN carries the following function designation(s): ANTIOXIDANT, ASTRINGENT, DEODORANT, HAIR DYEING, ORAL CARE, SKIN PROTECTING, SKIN CONDITIONING - MISCELLANEOUS.

How do I check if my formula contains EPICATECHIN?

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-1021492024-06-18

EPICATECHIN

Epicatechin is the organic compound that conforms to the formula :

EPICATECHIN 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 17334-50-8

CAS 17334-50-8PubChem CID 1203

2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-1-benzopyran-3,5,7-triol

Catechin is members of the class of hydroxyflavan that have a flavan-3-ol skeleton and its substituted derivatives. — ChEBI

IUPAC name: 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromene-3,5,7-triol

Molecular formula: C15H14O6
Molecular weight: 290.27 g/mol
Exact mass: 290.07903816 Da
XLogP3: 0.4
Topological polar surface area: 110.0 Å²
Hydrogen-bond donors: 5
Hydrogen-bond acceptors: 6
Covalent units: 1
Defined stereocentres: 0

Also known as

RefChem:1060982236-471-62-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)chroman-3,5,7-triol7295-85-4(+/-)-Catechin(+/-)-Epicatechin2-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)chromane-3,5,7-triolcis-(+/-)-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-1-benzopyran-3,5,7-triol

16 more reported names

2H-1-Benzopyran-3,5,7-triol, 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,4-dihydro-,(2R,3S)-rel-(+/-)-catecholCatechin (hydrate)3,3',4',5,7-Pentahydroxy-flavane( inverted exclamation markA)-CatechinEpicatechol, (-)-s3974( inverted exclamation markA)-Catechin hydrateEpicatechin (Epicatechol; Acacatechin; Kakaol)catechinsprotocatechinEpicatechin/ECNSC 81161s4723(-)epicatechin(+)-3,3',4',5,7-Flavanpentol

Open full PubChem record PubChem annotations 3D structure image

External database identifiers

ChEBI:CHEBI:23053
ChEMBL:CHEMBL206452
EPA DTXSID:DTXSID10859304
PubMed:22799566
PubMed:22375623
PubMed:22319251
PubMed:22253995
PubMed:22200924
PubMed:22128221
PubMed:22093997
PubMed:21980222
PubMed:21962650
PubMed:21882071
PubMed:21849042
PubMed:21827489

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

PubChem 2D chemical structure for CAS 490-46-0

CAS 490-46-0PubChem CID 72276

Epicatechin

(-)-epicatechin is a catechin with (2R,3R)-configuration. It has a role as an antioxidant. It is a catechin and a polyphenol. It is an enantiomer of a (+)-epicatechin. — ChEBI

IUPAC name: (2R,3R)-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromene-3,5,7-triol

Molecular formula: C15H14O6
Molecular weight: 290.27 g/mol
Exact mass: 290.07903816 Da
XLogP3: 0.4
Topological polar surface area: 110.0 Å²
Hydrogen-bond donors: 5
Hydrogen-bond acceptors: 6
Covalent units: 1
Defined stereocentres: 2

Also known as

(-)-EpicatechinL-EpicatechinEpicatecholepi-Catechinepi-Catecholl-Acacatechin(-)-Epicatechol(2R,3R)-(-)-Epicatechin

16 more reported names

(-)-epi catechin(2R,3R)-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-1-benzopyran-3,5,7-triol34PHS7TU43(-)-(2R:3R)-5,7,3',4'-Tetrahydroxyflavan-3-olNSC-81161CHEBI:902H-1-Benzopyran-3,5,7-triol, 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,4-dihydro-, (2R,3R)-2H-1-Benzopyran-3,5,7-triol, 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,4-dihydro-, (2R-cis)-RefChem:7343(2R,3R)-2-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)-3,5,7-chromanetriol(2R-cis)-2-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-1-benzopyran-3,5,7-triol207-710-1(2R,3R)-2-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)chroman-3,5,7-triolC15H14O6CCRIS 7097.alpha. Catechin

Open full PubChem record PubChem annotations 3D structure image

External database identifiers

ChEBI:CHEBI:90
ChEMBL:CHEMBL583912
EPA DTXSID:DTXSID4045133
PubMed:36012227
PubMed:23711519
PubMed:23122145
PubMed:23105347
PubMed:23070521
PubMed:23014569
PubMed:23013475
PubMed:23009399
PubMed:22996837
PubMed:22980899
PubMed:22980816
PubMed:22972787

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: 102149
Published in the Official Journal: Yes
Recorded by the Commission: 2024-06-18

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 EPICATECHIN

INCI name

EPICATECHIN

Description

Epicatechin is the organic compound that conforms to the formula :

Record provenance

Inventory reference: cosing-live-102149
Imported identity: EPICATECHIN
Source update: 2024-06-18

European Commission CosIng source notes

Annex records for EPICATECHIN

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Key data

CAS

490-46-0/ 17334-50-8

207-710-1/ -

Restriction

—

Function

ANTIOXIDANT: Inhibiting reactions promoted by oxygen, thus avoiding oxidation and rancidity.
ASTRINGENT: Contracting and/or tightening the skin.
DEODORANT: Reducing and/or eliminating unpleasant odour. Contributing against the formation of malodour on body surfaces.
HAIR DYEING: Imparting color to hair. Hair dyeing preparations may be temporary, semi-permanent, or permanent, depending on the length of time the colorant remains on the hair.
ORAL CARE: Providing cosmetic effects to the oral cavity, e.g. cleansing, deodorising, protecting.
SKIN PROTECTING: Helping to avoid harmful effects to the skin from external factors.
SKIN CONDITIONING - MISCELLANEOUS: Enhancing the appearance of dry and/or damaged skin by reducing flaking and restoring suppleness.

Official EU ingredient-name evidence

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

#9859 · EPICATECHIN

Ingredients with overlapping formulation functions

DIPOTASSIUM CAPRYLOYL GLUTAMATECLEANSING, DEODORANT, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING

DISODIUM CAPRYLOYL GLUTAMATECLEANSING, DEODORANT, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING

DISODIUM DIHYDROXYETHYL SULFOSUCCINYLUNDECYLENATEANTIMICROBIAL, CLEANSING, DEODORANT, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING

DOMIPHEN BROMIDEANTIMICROBIAL, ANTIPLAQUE, DEODORANT, ORAL CARE

ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERINDEODORANT, SKIN CONDITIONING

EUCALYPTUS CINEREA LEAF OILASTRINGENT, DEODORANT, FLAVOURING, FRAGRANCE

EUCALYPTUS CINEREA LEAF WATERASTRINGENT, DEODORANT, FLAVOURING, FRAGRANCE

EUCALYPTUS PARVULA LEAF OILASTRINGENT, DEODORANT, FLAVOURING, FRAGRANCE

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 EPICATECHIN appears in the CosIng inventory

The CosIng inventory lists EPICATECHIN 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.

EPICATECHIN is also tagged with 7 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

EPICATECHIN 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, EPICATECHIN carries the following function designation(s):

CAS 490-46-0/ 17334-50-8 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.

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

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Source note for EPICATECHIN

This page reproduces the CosIng inventory entry for EPICATECHIN 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 EPICATECHIN 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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