Petasites Japonicus Powder

Also known as: Japanese Butterbur Powder

INCI: Petasites Japonicus Powder | Function: Antioxidant, Soothing, Skin Conditioning | Type: Plant extract (Asteraceae family, butterbur)

What Is Petasites Japonicus Powder?

Dried and powdered Petasites japonicus leaf/stem material. Used as a gentle physical exfoliant and texture modifier in cleansing and mask products. The powder form retains some antioxidant compounds and provides mild scrubbing action. More commonly used in traditional formulations than modern cosmetics.

Key Skin Benefits

+ Anti-inflammatory — helps calm redness and sensitive skin
+ Antioxidant protection — flavonoids and phenolic acids neutralize free radicals
+ Skin conditioning — provides moisturizing and softening effects
+ Traditional herbal use — centuries of documented medicinal application

Pros

+ Rich in bioactive compounds — petasin, fukinolic acid, flavonoids
+ Research-supported anti-inflammatory activity
+ Traditional use with modern formulation applications
+ Plant-derived — appeals to natural/botanical positioning

Cons

− Pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA) risk — MUST use PA-free extracts only
− PA-free processing increases cost and limits supplier options
− Limited cosmetic-specific clinical studies
− Potential for contact allergy in sensitive individuals
− Regulatory scrutiny due to PA content in raw plant

Specifications

Property	Value
Usage Areas	Face, Body
Product Type	Leave-On, Rinse-Off
Source	Plant
Natural Level	Natural

Safety Ratings

Metric	Rating
Skin Sensitivity	2/5 (moderate — PA-free extracts are milder)
Comedogenic Rating	0/5
EWG Score	2/10

Regional Regulatory Limits

Region	Leave-on %	Rinse-off %	Status
EU (CosIng)	No limit	No limit	Allowed
US (CIR/FDA)	No limit	No limit	Allowed — CIR safe as used
Japan (MHLW)	No limit	No limit	Allowed
ASEAN	No limit	No limit	Allowed — follows EU
China (NMPA)	No limit	No limit	Allowed — listed in IECIC

Typical Usage % by Product Type

Product Type	Typical %
Soothing cream / serum	0.1–2%
Calming toner	0.05–1%

References

Thomet OA et al. (2002) — Petasites hybridus: pyrrolizidine alkaloid-free extracts. PMID: 11884275
Shimoda H et al. (2006) — Anti-allergic compounds from Petasites japonicus. PMID: 16792428
EU CosIng Database. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/
INCIDecoder. https://incidecoder.com/

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