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Evaluation of mineral cosmetics

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Abstract

This single-center study was designed to evaluate the efficacy, coverage, durability, and comparability of 2 mineral-based facial cosmetic lines: DYG and Jane Iredale. A cosmetic artist applied makeup from one of the cosmetic lines to each half of the faces of 20 women who were blinded as to which product was used. The volunteers were then asked to go about their usual daily routines. Each face was photographed before application, immediately after application, and 7 hours after application. Each subject evaluated the makeup on both halves of her own face using a written questionnaire that assessed comfort, duration, and general satisfaction. Four evaluators who were blinded as to the type of cosmetic applied to each side viewed photographs of the subjects and used a 10-point scale to grade the durability and coverage of the cosmetic used. The DYG product line was demonstrated to be comparable with, and in many cases better than, the Jane Iredale line in terms of duration of application and patient comfort and satisfaction. Enhanced efficacy was up to 20% higher with the DYG product line over the Jane Iredale line (P=.25). Both mineral-based cosmetic lines were well tolerated.
382 Cosmetic Dermatology® JUNE 2007 • VOL. 20 NO. 6
Study
The application of topical agents to enhance
beauty has been practiced over the centuries.
The Egyptians are credited with the origina-
tion of cosmetics (ca 4000 bc) with their uti-
lization of mesdemet, a dark grey ore of lead.
They also applied green malachite (green ore of copper)
for color and definition.1
Over the years, many new emerging minerals and
botanicals have been used in cosmetics. Some, such as
lead oxide used in surma (also known as kohl) to line
the eyelids, proved to be toxic and were banned.2 Other
agents were found to have beneficial effects on the skin
and are used in makeup today. Therefore, which minerals
are beneficial, and which benefits do they offer?
Mineral makeup was first introduced to the public in
the 1970s and, over the past decade, has surged forward
as a leader in the cosmetics world. Its popularity is due
to its claim to rejuvenate and protect the underlying skin
while providing coverage and color to hide imperfections
and accentuate positive features. Synthetic dyes, preser-
vatives, perfumes, and fillers are avoided in the composi-
tion of mineral makeup, rendering it hypoallergenic. The
inert nature of minerals inhibits bacterial growth.
Minerals are milled, oftentimes triple-milled, into a
fine powder that blends well into skin without clogging
pores. Minerals are also used as a camouflage for contour
and pigment defects and as a transitional application
for postsurgical erythema.3 Mineral-based cosmetics are
sometimes called cosmeceuticals.4
Commonly used ingredients in mineral cosmetics are
listed in Table 1. Many different lines of mineral makeup
are now available, with various combinations of ingre-
dients. This study evaluates 2 of these mineral-based
cosmetic lines.
METHODS
Twenty subjects participated in a daylong study that con-
sisted of preapplication photography using a Canfield
Scientific Fuji S2 Pro digital camera and head restraint
(Figure, A). Each subject thoroughly cleaned her face with
Evaluation of Mineral Cosmetics
Raminder Saluja, MD; Gail Yosowitz, BS; Mitchel P. Goldman, MD
This single-center study was designed to evaluate the efficacy, coverage, durability, and comparability of
2 mineral-based facial cosmetic lines: DYG and Jane Iredale.
A cosmetic artist applied makeup from one of the cosmetic lines to each half of the faces of 20 women
who were blinded as to which product was used. The volunteers were then asked to go about their
usual daily routines. Each face was photographed before application, immediately after application, and
7 hours after application. Each subject evaluated the makeup on both halves of her own face using a
written questionnaire that assessed comfort, duration, and general satisfaction. Four evaluators who
were blinded as to the type of cosmetic applied to each side viewed photographs of the subjects and
used a 10-point scale to grade the durability and coverage of the cosmetic used.
The DYG product line was demonstrated to be comparable with, and in many cases better than, the
Jane Iredale line in terms of duration of application and patient comfort and satisfaction. Enhanced
efficacy was up to 20% higher with the DYG product line over the Jane Iredale line (P=.25). Both mineral-
based cosmetic lines were well tolerated.
Study
Dr. Saluja is Fellow, Cosmetic Surgery, Ms. Yosowitz is Research
Coordinator, and Dr. Goldman is Medical Director, all at
Dermatology/Cosmetic Laser Associates of La Jolla, Inc, California.
Funding for this study was provided by York-Goldman
Enterprises, of which Dr. Goldman is part owner.
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VOL. 20 NO. 6 • JUNE 2007 • Cosmetic Dermatology® 383
Mineral CosMetiCs
Ingredient Function
Vitamins
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) Lipid-soluble antioxidant used to protect cellular membranes
from lipid peroxidation by scavenging free radicals and lipid
peroxyl radicals5
Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) Water-soluble antioxidant and cofactor for collagen synthesis; helps
regenerate the oxidized forms of alpha-tocopherol6-7
Vitamin A (retinol and retinyl palmitate) Retinoid function in maintaining epidermal differentiation and
growth, thereby increasing epidermal thickness8
Nicotinamide (niacinamide) B vitamin and derivative of niacin; anti-inflammatory and anti–acne
vulgaris actions9
Coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinone) An endogenous cellular antioxidant and mitochondrial electron
transfer protein that exerts an antioxidant effect, thereby counter-
ing UV damage10
Tea extracts (eg, green tea, black tea, Contain polyphenolic compounds that have significant antioxidant
and coloring tea) and anti-inflammatory activity11
Botanicals
Flavones (eg, rutin, quercetin [apples Polyphenolic structure that confers antioxidant, UV protectant, and
and blueberries], hesperidin, diosmin metal chelation properties
[lemons and oranges])12
Carotenoids (eg, astaxanthin, Chemically related to vitamin A, therefore, a natural retinoid;
lutein, lycopene) commonly found in tomatoes
Xanthones (eg, mangiferin [mango Water-insoluable antioxidant
plant], mangostin [bilberry plant])
Polyphenols (eg, rosmarinic acid Oxygen and nitrogen free radical scavenger
[rosemary], chlorogenic acid [blueberry
leaf], ellagic acid [pomegranate fruit],
oleuropein [olive leaf ], tea)12
Minerals
Titanium dioxide, zinc dioxide Have UV protectant effects; brighten and intensify color; give white-
ness and opacity to cosmetics4
Mica Adds luster and pearlescence; is resistant to UV light, heat, and
chemical attack; adheres to the skin
Calcium carbonate Absorbs moisture
Iron oxide, chromium oxide, ground lapis, Adds color to cosmetics
manganese violet, gold
table 1
Common Ingredients of Mineral Cosmetics
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384 Cosmetic Dermatology® • JUNE 2007 • VOL. 20 NO. 6
Mineral CosMetiCs
a gentle facial cleanser. Equal amounts of the 2 cosmetic
products, as determined visually by the cosmetic artist,
were then applied to each side of the face. Care was taken
to ensure that all applications were done by the same cos-
metic artist, using comparable product colors. All subjects
were randomized as to which side of the face received
which cosmetic. All 4 evaluators were blinded as to the
cosmetic used. Photographs of each subjects face were
taken immediately following application (Figure, B).
Subjects were then asked to go about their daily rou-
tines and not retouch their cosmetics or blot or wash their
faces. Subjects were asked to return 7 hours later for more
photographs (Figure, C). At that time, they were also
given a satisfaction questionnaire to complete that asked
them to identify which side of the face felt more comfort-
able, was itchier, or seemed more irritated; which side of
the face had makeup that lasted longer; and which side
of the face had makeup that better covered pigmentation,
blotches, acne scars, and other imperfections.
Photographs of each subject before application, imme-
diately after application, and 7 hours after application
were then graded by 4 evaluators using a 10-point scale,
with 10 signifying perfect coverage and appearance and
1 signifying the least coverage and worst appearance.
Grading criteria of the makeup included appearance,
duration, and coverage. The subjects were asked to evalu-
ate 3 individual end points: (1) the number of hours of
perceived satisfactory cosmetic coverage; (2) coverage
rating (using a scale of 1–4, where 15poor coverage and
45ideal coverage); and (3) satisfaction (using a scale of
1–10, where 15very unsatisfied and 105very satisfied).
RESULTS
Both cosmetics were visually inapparent 7 hours after
application. (Figure, C). However, Jane Iredale makeup
was somewhat more persistent in both coverage and
duration (the number of hours of satisfactory coverage).
DYG makeup was found to be very similar in duration
and coverage to Jane Iredale makeup, outperforming it
in 3 subjects for coverage and in 2 subjects for duration.
The subject questionnaires yielded equal satisfaction with
both products and generally uniform scores (Tables 2
and 3).
DISCUSSION
Mineral makeup has increased in popularity over the
past decade. The appeal of mineral makeup is largely
due to the commitment of its makers to create a cos-
metic that not only provides coverage and color to
enhance features but is composed of natural ingredients
to help rejuvenate and protect the skin from UV light
and environmental pollutants.
Because of the variety of mineral cosmetics available, it
is hard for consumers to know which ones to choose. The
key is finding a product that provides effective coverage,
good duration of action, and an array of colors to match
a variety of skin tones. Consumers should also be familiar
with the different botanicals and minerals incorporated
into the cosmetics and their pharmacologic actions.
The DYG line of cosmetics uses triple-milled min-
erals that are noncomedogenic along with botanical
antioxidants to help rejuvenate and restore the skin
while highlighting and defining facial features. The
Subject before (A), immediately after (B), and 7 hours after (C) application of mineral-based cosmetics.
ABC
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VOL. 20 NO. 6 • JUNE 2007 • Cosmetic Dermatology® 385
Mineral CosMetiCs
DYG JI Difference (DYG-JI)
Subject B LS ES PP O B LS ES PP O B LS ES PP O
1 8 6 9 8 8 7 5 8 8 8 1 1 1 0 0
2 9 5 9 9 8 9 6 10 9 9 0 -1 -1 0 -1
3 8 7 8 8 8 9 7 9 8 9 -1 0 -1 0 -1
4 7 5 9 6 6 7 5 9 6 7 0 0 0 0 -1
5 9 7 8 9 8 9 6 8 8 8 0 1 0 1 0
6 8 7 8 7 8 8 6 7 7 7 0 1 1 0 1
7 9 7 7 7 7 8 7 9 7 8 1 0 -2 0 -1
8 8 6 7 7 7 8 5 8 8 8 0 1 -1 -1 -1
9 8 5 7 8 7 8 5 7 8 8 0 0 0 0 -1
10 8 7 8 8 8 8 7 8 8 8 0 0 0 0 0
11 9 5 8 9 8 7 6 7 7 7 2 -1 1 2 1
12 8 7 9 7 8 8 5 8 5 6 0 2 1 2 2
13 8 6 9 7 7 7 5 8 8 7 1 1 1 -1 0
14 8 5 8 8 9 8 6 9 8 8 0 -1 -1 0 1
15 7 6 9 7 7 8 5 9 7 8 -1 1 0 0 -1
16 0 1 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 2 2
17 8 5 8 7 7 9 7 8 7 8 -1 -2 0 0 -1
18 8 7 8 8 8 8 7 9 7 7 0 0 -1 1 1
19 8 6 7 7 7 7 5 9 6 6 1 1 -2 1 1
20 7 5 7 6 6 8 6 7 6 7 -1 -1 0 0 -1
Mean 8 6 8 7 7 8 6 8 7 7 NA NA NA NA NA
SD 1.899 1.41 1.552 1.517 1.436 1.905 1.538 2.033 1.889 1.881 NA NA NA NA NA
Mean 25 45 30 30 20 20 25 35 10 45 5 20 -5 20 -25
percentage
P NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 1.4924 .424 1.00 .289 .267
*Durability rating is based on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1=no apparent makeup coverage and 10=perfect makeup coverage.
JI indicates Jane Iredale; B, blush; LS, lipstick; ES, eye shadow; PP, pressed powder; O, overall; NA, not applicable.
Significant percentage difference in favor of DYG lipstick (20%) and pressed powder (20%) was observed.
table 2
Durability (Staying Power) of Mineral Cosmetics
Applied to Each Half of the Face for 7 Hours*
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386 Cosmetic Dermatology® • JUNE 2007 • VOL. 20 NO. 6
Mineral CosMetiCs
DYG JI Difference (DYG-JI)
Subject B LS ES PP O B LS ES PP O B LS ES PP O
1 9 8 9 8 8 0 0 0 0 0 9 8 9 8 8
2 8 8 8 8 8 0 0 0 0 0 8 8 8 8 8
3 7 6 7 8 8 0 0 0 0 0 7 6 7 8 8
4 8 8 8 8 8 0 0 0 0 0 8 8 8 8 8
5 8 8 8 7 8 0 0 0 0 0 8 8 8 7 8
6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 8 8 8 8 8 0 0 0 0 0 8 8 8 8 8
8 7 7 8 8 8 0 0 0 0 0 7 7 8 8 8
9 8 7 9 8 8 0 0 0 0 0 8 7 9 8 8
10 8 8 9 8 8 0 0 0 0 0 8 8 9 8 8
11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
18 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
19 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Mean 4 3 4 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 NA NA NA NA NA
SD 4.05 3.89 4.22 4.03 4.08 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 NA NA NA NA NA
Mean 15 35 25 15 15 20 45 30 35 25 -5 -10 -5 -20 -10
percentage
P NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 1.00 .804 .55 .11 .29
*Coverage rating is based on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1=no apparent makeup coverage and 10=perfect makeup coverage.
JI indicates Jane Iredale, B, blush; LS, lipstick; ES, eye shadow; PP, pressed powder; O, overall; NA, not applicable.
No significant percentage difference between DYG and JI cosmetics was obser ved.
table 3
Coverage (Ability to Cover Imperfections) of Mineral Cosmetics
Applied to Each Half of the Face for 7 Hours*
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duration, coverage, and feel of this cosmetic line have
been demonstrated to be similar to the duration, cover-
age, and feel of the established Jane Iredale line. Future
studies will evaluate the antiaging effects of a variety of
mineral cosmetics.
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Mineral CosMetiCs
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Chapter
This chapter aims to evaluate some of the key considerations when assessing and testing herbal based cosmetic products, including the scientific basis and clinical trials of the most commonly used herbal ingredients. Botanicals contain terpenoids, alkaloids, and phenolics, which have been chemically characterized for their biological effects. Since most skin conditions and diseases are multifactorial with multiple mechanisms of action inducing the visible changes, herbal products would be expected to produce visible benefit. The skin care practitioner should select an herb for a specific desired beneficial effect based on scientific research and/or traditional medical knowledge founded on ethnobotany. Patients and clients entrust skincare professionals to create effective and safe regimens for their skin, yet there are no safety requirements for cosmeceuticals. Coffea arabica yields three commercial products: coffee beans which are the seeds, the fruit which is coffeeberry and coffee charcoal which is roasted fruit until black.
Chapter
There are many options available to choose from in the skin care/cosmetic product arena, with an increasing interest in herbal based products. Since photoaging has multiple cutaneous manifestations, the broad spectrum of multiple mechanisms of action of certain herbal extracts may be promising therapy. Medical providers and skin care professionals are finding that herbal products provide multiple beneficial functionalities with highly reactive molecules and compounds in stable preparations. Products using herbal ingredients must be carefully formulated. Ideally, the finished product is then tested for efficacy and safety. This chapter reviews testing methods and herbal ingredient mechanisms of action. Detailed listings of herbs clinically documented to impact anomalies of photoaging are included, along with a reference list of recent presented or published clinical trials of herbal products. The hope is that skin care providers will make decisions for herbal products to recommend or sell based upon solid scientific evidence.
Article
In this work, we have prepared the nanocomposite by the reaction of mica and zinc oxide, and investigated the application of nanocomposite to UV protecting creams. Mica treated with 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS) reacted with 1,4-phenylenediisothiocyanate (PDC) to give -N=C=S functionalized surface, which was further reacted with zinc oxides coated with APTMS to give mica-zinc oxide nanocomposites. The composites were characterized by EA, EDS, TGA, SEM, zeta potential measurement, powder XRD, and DRS UV/Vis analyses. Finally, we measured transmittances of ultraviolet protection creams manufactured by using mica composite covered with zinc oxides in the range of 280~400 nm. The nanocomposites developed in this work might be applicable as inorganic hybrid materials for UV protecting creams.
Chapter
IntroductionInternational regulationsFactors affecting concentration and quality of active ingredientsExtraction methodsQuality controlSafetyEffectivenessMechanism of action of herbal actives via secondary metabolitesCosmeceutical product developmentSpecific safety issuesSpecific herbs with esthetic utilityConclusions References
Article
In cancer chemoprevention studies, the identification of better anti- tumor-promoting agents is highly desired because they may have a wider applicability against the development of clinical cancers. Both epidemio- logical and animal studies have suggested that microchemicals present in the diet and several herbs and plants with diversified pharmacological properties are useful agents for the prevention of a wide variety of human cancers. Silymarin, a flavonoid isolated from milk thistle, is used clinically in Europe and Asia as an antihepatotoxic agent, largely due to its strong antioxidant activity. Because most antioxidants afford protection against tumor promotion, in this study, we assessed the protective effect of sily- marin on tumor promotion in the SENCAR mouse skin tumorigenesis model. Application of silymarin prior to each 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) application resulted in a highly significant protection against tumor promotion in 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-initiated mouse skin. The protective effect of silymarin was evident in terms of reduction in tumor incidence (25, 40, and 75% protection, P < 0.001, X2 test), tumor multiplicity (76, 84, and 97% protection, P < 0.001, Wilcoxon rank sum test), and tumor volume (76, 94, and 96% protection, P < 0.001, Student's t test) at the doses of 3, 6, and 12 mg per application, respec- tively. To dissect out the stage specificity of silymarin against tumor promotion, we next assessed its effect against both stage I and stage II of tumor promotion. Application of silymarin prior to that of TPA in stage I or mezerein in stage II tumor promotion in dimethylbenz(a)anthracene- initiated SENCAR mouse skin resulted in an exceptionally high protective effect during stage I tumor promotion, showing 74% protection against tumor incidence (P < 0.001, X2 test), 92% protection against tumor multiplicity (P < 0.001, Wilcoxon rank sum test), and 96% protection against tumor volume (P < 0.001, Student's t test). With regard to stage II tumor promotion, silymarin showed 26, 63, and 54% protection in tumor incidence, multiplicity, and volume, respectively. Similar effect of silymarin to that in anti-stage I studies, were also observed when applied during both stage I and stage II protocols. In other studies, silymarin significantly inhibited: (a) TPA-induced skin edema, epidermal hyperpla- sia, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen-positive cells; ( b) DNA synthe- sis; and (c) epidermal lipid peroxidation, the early markers of TPA-caused changes that are associated with tumor promotion. Taken together, these results suggest that silymarin possesses exceptionally high protective ef- fects against tumor promotion, primarily targeted against stage I tumors, and that the mechanism of such effects may involve inhibition of promot- er-induced edema, hyperplasia, proliferation index, and oxidant state.
Article
We measured enzymic and non-enzymic antioxidants in human epidermis and dermis from six healthy volunteers undergoing surgical procedures. Epidermis was separated from dermis by currettage and antioxidants were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) or standard spectrophotometric methods. The concentration of every antioxidant (referenced to skin wet weight) was higher in the epidermis than in the dermis. Among the enzymic antioxidants, the activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase were higher in the epidermis compared to the dermis by 126, 61 and 215%, respectively. Catalase activity in particular was much higher (720%) in the epidermis. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and isocitrate dehydrogenase, which provide reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), also showed higher activity in the epidermis than the dermis by 111% and 313%, respectively. Among the lipophilic antioxidants, the concentration of α-tocopherol was higher in the epidermis than the dermis by 90%. The concentration of ubiquinol 10 was especially higher in the epidermis, by 900%. Among the hydrophilic antioxidants, concentrations of ascorbic acid and uric acid were also higher in the epidermis than in the dermis by 425 and 488%, respectively. Reduced glutathione and total glutathione were higher in the epidermis than in the dermis by 513 and 471%. Thus the antioxidant capacity of the human epidermis is far greater than that of dermis. As the epidermis composes the outermost 10% of the skin and acts as the initial barrier to oxidant assault, it is perhaps not surprising that it has higher levels of antioxidants.
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We investigated the clinical, histologic, and molecular responses of normal human skin to all-trans-retinol (ROL) application, compared to those induced by topical all-trans-retinoic acid (RA), and measured ROL-derived metabolites. Up to 1.6% ROL, 0.025% RA in vehicle (70% ethanol/30% propylene glycol), or vehicle alone were applied in a double-blind fashion to normal buttock skin and occluded for 4 d. ROL produced from none to only trace erythema, which was clinically and statistically insignificant, whereas RA induced a significant 3.7-fold increase in erythema score compared to vehicle (n = 10, p < 0.01). However, ROL induced significant epidermal thickening (1.5-fold at 1.6% ROL, p < 0.01), similar to RA (1.6-fold at 0.025% RA, p < 0.01), relative to the vehicle. ROL, compared with vehicle, also increased mRNA levels of cellular retinoic acid binding protein (CRABP-II) and cellular retinol binding protein (CRBP) genes as determined by Northern analysis (5- 6-fold and 6-7-fold, respectively) and riboprobe in situ hybridization. CRABP-II and CRBP protein levels were also higher following ROL than vehicle treatment, as measured by ligand binding (3.2-fold, p < 0.001; n = 7) and Western analysis (3.6-fold, p < 0.003; n = 6), respectively. Epidermal retinyl ester (RE) content, measured after removal of stratum corneum, rose 240-fold (p < 0.005, n = 5) by 24 h of ROL occlusion. RA content, however, was undetectable or detectable only at trace amounts in all samples obtained at 0, 6, 24, and 96 h after ROL occlusion. Detectability of RA was not correlated with ROL treatment (compared to untreated normal skin, p = 0.86) or baseline skin ROL levels (average r = -0.1, p> 0.3).
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Systemic and topical antimicrobials are effective in the treatment of inflammatory acne vulgaris; however, widespread use of these agents is becoming increasingly associated with the emergence of resistant pathogens raising concerns about microorganism resistance and highlighting the need for alternative nonantimicrobial agents for the treatment of acne. Nicotinamide gel provides potent antiinflammatory activity without the risk of inducing bacterial resistance. In our double-blind investigation, the safety and efficacy of topically applied 4% nicotinamide gel was compared to 1% clindamycin gel for the treatment of moderate inflammatory acne vulgaris. Seventy-six patients were randomly assigned to apply either 4% nicotinamide gel (n = 38) or 1% clindamycin gel (n = 38) twice daily for 8 weeks. Efficacy was evaluated at 4 and 8 weeks using a Physician's Global Evaluation, Acne Lesion Counts, and an Acne Severity Rating. After 8 weeks, both treatments produced comparable (P = 0.19) beneficial results in the Physician's Global Evaluation of Inflammatory Acne; 82% of the patients treated with nicotinamide gel and 68% treated with clindamycin gel were improved. Both treatments produced statistically similar reductions in acne lesions (papules/pustules; -60%, nicotinamide vs. -43%, clindamycin, P = 0.168), and acne severity (-52% nicotinamide group vs. -38% clindamycin group, P = 0.161). These data demonstrate that 4% nicotinamide gel is of comparable efficacy to 1% clindamycin gel in the treatment of acne vulgaris. Because topical clindamycin, like other antimicrobials, is associated with emergence of resistant microorganisms, nicotinamide gel is a desirable alternative treatment for acne vulgaris.
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In addition to the enzymic mechanism of free-radical removal, essential nutrients that can scavenge free radicals, such as vitamins E and C, constitute a strong line of defense in retarding free radical induced cellular damage. Distinct pathways for the repair of oxidized vitamin E in human cells have been recently identified. Within 0.5 min after the addition of arachidonic acid to a human platelet homogenate, over half of the platelet vitamin E and added arachidonate were metabolized by platelet cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways. After adding nordihydroguaiaretic acid, a lipoxygenase inhibitor and a strong reductant, over 60% of the oxidized vitamin E was regenerated. To test other physiological, water-soluble reductants that may help regenerate vitamin E, eicosatetraynoic acid, a lipoxygenase inhibitor that is not an antioxidant, was used. In this system, both ascorbate and glutathione provided significant vitamin E regeneration. Kinetic analysis and studies of vitamin E regeneration in a protein-denaturing system revealed that ascorbate regenerates vitamin E by a nonenzymic mechanism, whereas glutathione regenerates vitamin E enzymatically. These studies suggest that significant interaction occurs between water- and lipid-soluble molecules at the membrane-cytosol interface and that vitamin C may function in vivo to repair the membrane-bound oxidized vitamin E.
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Microfine zinc oxide and microfine titanium dioxide are particulate sunscreen ingredients that absorb broad-spectrum ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. We compare microfine zinc oxide and microfine titanium dioxide for their abilities to attenuate UVA radiation and their relative whiteness in cosmetic formulations. UVA attenuation was measured by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy on normal human skin in vivo. Whiteness was determined by reflectance density of dried coatings on a black background of the two particulates at varying concentrations. Microfine zinc oxide demonstrates superior protection compared to microfine titanium dioxide in the UV spectrum between 340 and 380 nm. Microfine zinc oxide is less white than titanium dioxide at all concentrations. Microfine zinc oxide is superior to microfine titanium dioxide as a sunscreen ingredient. It is more protective against long-wave UVA and is less white at a given concentration.
Article
To discuss the current knowledge of polyphenolic compounds present in green tea as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticarcinogenic in skin. References identified from bibliographies of pertinent articles, including our work in related fields. Articles were selected based on the use of green tea or its polyphenolic constituents for prevention against inflammation and cancer in the skin. Also discussed is the possible use of green tea to treat various inflammatory dermatoses. The polyphenolic compounds from green tea were tested against chemical carcinogenesis and photocarcinogenesis in murine skin. These green tea polyphenols were found to afford protection against chemical carcinogenesis as well as photocarcinogenesis in mouse skin. A few experimental studies were conducted in human skin in our laboratory. Analysis of published studies demonstrates that green tea polyphenols have anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic properties. These effects appear to correlate with antioxidant properties of green tea polyphenols. The outcome of the several experimental studies suggests that green tea possess anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic potential, which can be exploited against a variety of skin disorders. Although more clinical studies are needed, supplementation of skin care products with green tea may have a profound impact on various skin disorders in the years to come. Arch Dermatol. 2000;136:989-994
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