| Bioactivity | Tapinarof (WBI-1001) is a natural aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonist with an EC50 of 13 nM. Tapinarof resolves skin inflammation in mice[1]. |
| Target | EC50: 13 nM (AhR) |
| Invitro | Tapinarof activates the AhR pathway through direct binding. Tapinarof dose-dependently induces nuclear translocation of AhR in immortalized keratinocytes (HaCaT) (EC50=0.16 nM)[1]. |
| In Vivo | Tapinarof acts through AhR to reduce inflammation in IMQ-treated mice. AhR-sufficient mice on a C57Bl/6 background exhibit a reduced clinical score after treatment with Tapinarof or 6-formylindolo(3,2-b)carbazole (FICZ). In contrast, AhR KO mice do not respond to the anti-inflammatory effects of Tapinarof. FICZ is used as a comparator in these studies and yields similar results, with dramatically reduced inflammatory responses in wild-type, but not AhR KO mice[1]. |
| Name | Tapinarof |
| CAS | 79338-84-4 |
| Formula | C17H18O2 |
| Molar Mass | 254.32 |
| Appearance | Solid |
| Transport | Room temperature in continental US; may vary elsewhere. |
| Storage | 4°C, protect from light *In solvent : -80°C, 6 months; -20°C, 1 month (protect from light) |
| Reference | [1]. Smith SH, et al. Tapinarof Is a Natural AhR Agonist that Resolves Skin Inflammation in Mice and Humans. J Invest Dermatol. 2017 Oct;137(10):2110-2119. |