What does Arginine do?

Used in cosmetics as a skin-conditioning agent, a hair conditioner and an antistatic agent.

High concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is listed for cosmetic use in the EU.

beauty
cleaning
food
industrial

Arginine

CAS 4455-52-1 · 60/100 · High conf.

Also registered as 8 other CAS numbers

142-49-4 · 7004-12-8 · 154605-63-7 · 154605-67-1 · 667422-95-9 · 1332377-47-5 · 74-79-3 · 7200-25-1

Concern score

60/100High concern based on regulatory listings.

High confidence

Arginine in plain language

What it is: Also known as L-arginine · (2S)-2-amino-5-(diaminomethylideneamino)pentanoic acid · Arg · (2S)-2-amino-5-(carbamimidamido)pentanoic acid · (2S)-2-amino-5-carbamimidamidopentanoic acid · (2S)-2-amino-5-guanidinopentanoic acid
Show all 18 names
(S)-2-Amino-5-guanidinopentanoic acid · (S)-2-Amino-5-guanidinovaleric acid · 2-amino-5-guanidinovaleric acid · Arginine, l(+)- · Arginin · Argininum · L-(+)-Arginine · L-Arg · L-Arginin · L-alpha-Amino-delta-guanidinovaleric acid · arginina · l-arginine free base
What it does: Used in cosmetics as a skin-conditioning agent, a hair conditioner and an antistatic agent.
Skin conditioning
Hair conditioning
Antistatic
Fragrance
Flavouring agent
Flavouring
Is it a concern?: High concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is listed for cosmetic use in the EU.

Why it's flagged

EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 665 composition records across product categories including Raw materials, Food and drug, Laboratory supplies.

The score describes this ingredient's chemical identity — its hazard profile from published classifications and regulatory status — not the safety of any product it appears in.

Regulation

No restrictions found. Arginine appears in these published regulatory listings.

In marketed US drugs
Inactive ingredient in US drugs

Recorded in these product areas

Found in consumer products
Beauty
Cleaning
Pharma
Food
Industrial

USFDAinactive ingredient database11 entries — 3 administration routes
- Route: INTRAVENOUS; Dosage form: INJECTION, SOLUTION; Potency: 0.29 %w/vSource →
- Route: INTRAVENOUS; Dosage form: POWDER, FOR SOLUTION; Potency: 7.07 %w/vSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET; Maximum daily exposure: 50 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, EXTENDED RELEASE; Maximum daily exposure: 20 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, FILM COATED; Maximum daily exposure: 25 mgSource →
- Route: INTRAVENOUS; Dosage form: INJECTION, POWDER, LYOPHILIZED, FOR SOLUTION; Maximum daily exposure: 6240 mgSource →
- Route: INTRAVENOUS; Dosage form: INJECTION, POWDER, FOR SOLUTION; Maximum daily exposure: 3600 mgSource →
- Route: INTRAVENOUS; Dosage form: INJECTION; Maximum daily exposure: 790 mgSource →
- Route: INTRAMUSCULAR; Dosage form: INJECTION, POWDER, LYOPHILIZED, FOR SOLUTION; Maximum daily exposure: 6240 mgSource →
- Route: INTRAMUSCULAR; Dosage form: INJECTION, POWDER, FOR SOLUTION; Potency: ADJ PHSource →
- Route: INTRAMUSCULAR; Dosage form: INJECTION; Potency: NASource →
EUEFSAEFSA opinion5 entries
- Safety and efficacy of L-arginine produced by Corynebacterium glutamicum KCTC 10423BP for all animal species (EFSA FEEDAP)Source →
- Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed on the safety and efficacy of the product containing L-arginine produced by fermentation from Corynebacterium glutamicum (ATCC-13870) for all animal species (EFSA FEEDAP)Source →
- Flavouring Group Evaluation 79, (FGE.79). Consideration of amino acids and related substances evaluated by JECFA (63rd meeting) structurally related to amino acids from chemical group 34 evaluated by EFSA in FGE.26Rev1 (2008). Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food (EFSA AFC)Source →
- Scientific Opinion on Flavouring Group Evaluation 96 (FGE.96): Consideration of 88 flavouring substances considered by EFSA for which EU production volumes / anticipated production volumes have been submitted on request by DG SANCO. Addendum to FGE. 51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 58, 61, 62, 63, 64, 68, 69, 70, 71, 73, 76, 77, 79, 80, 83, 84, 85 and 87 (EFSA CEF)Source →
- Scientific Opinion on the safety and efficacy of the use of amino acids (chemical group 34) when used as flavourings for all animal species (EFSA FEEDAP)Source →
EUCosIngActiveListed in CosIng inventory for cosmetic use.
- Listed in CosIng inventory for cosmetic use.Source →
GLOBALJECFANo safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agentJECFA evaluation lists ADI No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent. Functional class: flavouring agent.
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent. Functional class: flavouring agent.Source →
USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 665 composition records across product categories including Raw materials, Food and drug, Laboratory supplies. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Hair strengthening, Anti-static agent, Deodorizer.
- EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 665 composition records across product categories including Raw materials, Food and drug, Laboratory supplies. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Hair strengthening, Anti-static agent, Deodorizer.Source →
USFDAmarketed drug occurrenceFDA NDC lists this ingredient in 85 active drug products and 87 total products.
- FDA NDC lists this ingredient in 85 active drug products and 87 total products.Source →
USFDAlisted in openFDA substanceopenFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.
- openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.Source →

Expert safety opinions

Independent scientific assessments cited by the records we hold, with the year and link where the record gives one.

SCCS
EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety
No SCCS opinion on file.
CIR
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (US expert panel)
No CIR safety assessment on file.
EFSA
European Food Safety Authority
- Safety and efficacy of L-arginine produced by Corynebacterium glutamicum KCTC 10423BP for all animal species (EFSA FEEDAP)
  2016 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →
- Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed on the safety and efficacy of the product containing L-arginine produced by fermentation from Corynebacterium glutamicum (ATCC-13870) for all animal species (EFSA FEEDAP)
  2007 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →
- Flavouring Group Evaluation 79, (FGE.79). Consideration of amino acids and related substances evaluated by JECFA (63rd meeting) structurally related to amino acids from chemical group 34 evaluated by EFSA in FGE.26Rev1 (2008). Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food (EFSA AFC)
  2008 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →
- Scientific Opinion on Flavouring Group Evaluation 96 (FGE.96): Consideration of 88 flavouring substances considered by EFSA for which EU production volumes / anticipated production volumes have been submitted on request by DG SANCO. Addendum to FGE. 51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 58, 61, 62, 63, 64, 68, 69, 70, 71, 73, 76, 77, 79, 80, 83, 84, 85 and 87 (EFSA CEF)
  2011 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →
- Scientific Opinion on the safety and efficacy of the use of amino acids (chemical group 34) when used as flavourings for all animal species (EFSA FEEDAP)
  2014 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →
JECFA
Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent. Functional class: flavouring agent.
  Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →

Evidence & sources

No graded research studies for Arginine yet. This record is compiled from the published data sources below — registries and regulatory listings, not study findings.

10 data sources

Where this comes from

CosIng
regulatory · updated 2026-09-23
Open →
EFSA OpenFoodTox
regulatory · updated 2026-10-04
Open →
EPA Chemical and Products Database
exposure · updated September 2018
Open →
EPA DSSTox Identifiers
chemistry · updated 2025-12-29
Open →
FDA Inactive Ingredient Database
regulatory · updated 2026-01-09
Open →
FDA National Drug Code Directory
regulatory · updated 2029-06-18
Open →
FDA GSRS UNII
registry · updated 2026-02-26
Open →
WHO JECFA Database
regulatory · updated 2026-10-04
Open →
openFDA Substance
registry · updated 2026-05-24
Open →
PubChem Live Enrichment
chemistry · updated 2026-05-17
Open →

Reference links (1)

Openfda substance

ncit.nci.nih.gov

Read →

Suitability

Context-specific fit derived from published classifications and the current ingredient evidence profile.

Food use

Food-use source coverage is present in the current record.

Good fit

The ingredient appears in food-oriented source coverage or allowed-use references, which makes food use easier to support than a context with no domain signal at all.

Fragrance avoidance

Not a strong fit for fragrance avoidance because it carries Fragrance.

Avoid

The ingredient itself is a fragrance-linked signal, so it is better treated as an avoid case when fragrance exposure is the main concern.

Where it has been recorded

How often EPA CPDat has listed Arginine in a product composition. These are source records, not Greenveil catalog products.

Source records

665

Named organisations

Raw materialsFood and drugLaboratory suppliesPersonal careConstruction

Typical roles

Skin conditioningHair conditioningAntistaticFragranceFlavouring agentFlavouring

See products using Arginine →

Catalog

Found in these products

Their ingredient lists include Arginine; each product's own rating depends on its whole formula, so it is shown on the product page, not here.

See all 566 →Find products without it →

Co-occurrence

Often appears with

Ingredients that frequently appear alongside Arginine in the catalog.