Abstract: Arbutin was a natural compound found in a variety of plants,which was made up of glucose and hydroquinone linked by β-glycosidic bonds.Due to its strong inhibitory effect on human tyrosinase activity,it was widely used as a powerful skin lightening agent in the cosmeceutical industry.α-Arbutin was an isomer of arbutin,with 10 times higher whitening effect than that of arbutin.The production of α-arbutin could be achieved by enzymatic synthesis or microbial synthesis.In this paper,the biosynthesis methods of α-arbutin,including microbial synthesis and enzymatic synthesis,and its immobilization and purification process were reviewed.

Key words: α-arbutin, transglycosylase, tyrosinase inhibitor