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| Catalog Number | CI-GU-0069 |
| Product Name | Cysteine |
| CAS | 52-90-4 |
| Structure |  |
| Synonyms | (R)-2-Amino-3-mercaptopropanoic acid |
| IUPAC Name | (2R)-2-amino-3-sulfanylpropanoic acid |
| Molecular Weight | 121.16 g/mol |
| Molecular Formula | C3H7NO2S |
| InChI | InChI=1S/C3H7NO2S/c4-2(1-7)3(5)6/h2,7H,1,4H2,(H,5,6)/t2-/m0/s1 |
| InChI Key | XUJNEKJLAYXESH-REOHCLBHSA-N |
| Boiling Point | 293.9±35.0 °C |
| Melting Point | 240 °C |
| Purity | 0.98 |
| Density | 1.19 g/mL |
| Appearance | White solid |
| Highest Usage In Residency Products | 0.0125 |
| Highest Usage In Rinsing Products | 0.1 |
| Isomeric SMILES | C([C@@H](C(=O)O)N)S |
Cysteine, a sulfur-containing and semi-essential amino acid, plays a critical role in various industries due to its versatile properties. In the food sector, it serves as a dough conditioner and flavoring agent, enhancing the quality and taste of various products. In the realm of cosmetics, cysteine's ability to form disulfide bonds makes it invaluable in hair care products, where it strengthens hair keratin, enhances tensile strength, and contributes to conditioning effects when copolymerized with silicone-based ingredients. It also plays a pivotal role in pharmaceuticals as a component in expectorants, excipients, and bioprocessing materials. Moreover, cysteine is increasingly used in skin care applications for its benefits in skin metabolism, melanin suppression, and improved cell turnover. Traditionally sourced from animal hair through extraction, contemporary methods now utilize enzyme reactions with DL-ATC and enzymatic processes to produce cysteine without animal-origin components, addressing environmental concerns and achieving Kosher/Halal certification for personal care products.
What is cysteine and what are its primary uses?
Cysteine is a sulfur-containing, proteinogenic, semi-essential amino acid. It plays a crucial role in various sectors, including food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. In the food industry, it is used as a dough conditioner and flavoring agent. In cosmetics, it is primarily used in hair care products due to its ability to form disulfide bonds, which provide hair with extraordinary tensile strength and unique mechanical properties. Cysteine is also important in pharmaceuticals, especially as a raw material for expectorants and excipients.
How does cysteine benefit hair care products specifically?
Cysteine is essential in hair care formulations because it can form disulfide bonds, which enhance the structural integrity of hair keratin, resulting in increased tensile strength and water insolubility. It is often copolymerized with silicone-containing polymers, which helps these polymers adhere better to hair, providing superior hair-conditioning effects. Additionally, cysteine-based ingredients are used to repair hair structure by crosslinking and repairing damaged keratin areas.
Why is there a growing demand for cysteine in skincare products?
Cysteine and its derivatives are increasingly valued in skincare products because of their ability to participate in skin metabolism, suppress melanin production, and enhance dermal cell turnover. These properties make cysteine a sought-after ingredient in over-the-counter skin-lightening drugs and other skincare applications.
How is cysteine produced, and what are the environmental considerations associated with its production?
Traditionally, cysteine was produced by extracting cystine, an amino acid found abundantly in animal and human hair, through a potent acid process. However, this method posed environmental issues due to the large amounts of acid used and the resulting odor and waste fluid. In response, manufacturers have developed non-animal origin methods for cysteine production, one of the most effective being an enzymatic reaction using DL-ATC as the starting material, followed by an electrolytic reduction process. This modern method not only reduces environmental impact but has also earned Kosher/Halal certification for use in personal care products.
What challenges have influenced the shift away from animal-derived cysteine production?
The outbreak of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) led to a significant reduction in the use of animal-derived cystine in regions such as the US, Europe, and Japan. This prompted the development of alternative manufacturing methods that do not involve animal-origin components, therefore mitigating health risks and addressing consumer concerns.
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