Review of the safety of octocrylene used as an ultraviolet filter in cosmetics

Octocrylene or octocrilene is an organic ultraviolet (UV) filter which absorbs mainly UVB radiation and short UVA wavelengths. It is used in various cosmetic products to either provide an appropriate sun protection factor in sunscreen products or to protect cosmetic formulations from UV radiation. There is no discussion that UV filters are beneficial ingredients in cosmetics since they protect from skin cancer, but octocrylene has been recently incriminated to potentially induce adverse effects on the endocrine system in addition to having allergic and/or photoallergic potential. However, the substance has the advantage to work synergistically with other filters allowing a beneficial broad photoprotection, e.g. it stabilizes the UVA filter avobenzone (i.e. butylmethoxydibenzoylmethane). Like all chemicals used in cosmetics, the safety profile of octocrylene is constantly under assessment by the European Chemical Agency (ECHA) since it has been registered according to the European regulation Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. Summaries of safety data of octocrylene are publicly available on the ECHA website. This review aims to present the main safety data from the ECHA website, as well as those reported in scientific articles from peer-reviewed journals. The available data show that octocrylene does not have any endocrine disruption potential. It is a rare sensitizer, photocontact allergy is more frequent and it is considered consecutive to photosensitization to ketoprofen. Based on these results, octocrylene can be considered as safe when used as a UV filter in cosmetic products at a concentration up to 10%

Use of biological drugs in patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis in italy: Results from the PSONG survey

This Italian multicenter retrospective study compared the drug survival and efficacy of differentanti-TNF agents in psoriasis (PsO) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients. A database of PsO/PsApatients treated with adalimumab, etanercept, and infliximab from May 2013 to May 2014 wasanalyzed. PASI 75, 90, and 100 was calculated at each time point to evaluate efficacy. Drug sur-vival rate and probability of maintaining PASI response were evaluated. The impact of dependentvariables on probability of PASI 75 loss was evaluated by logistic regression. 1,235 patients wereincluded, 577 with PsO and 658 with PsA. Highest survival rates were observed with adalimumabfollowed by etanercept and infliximab in PsO and PsA patients. The probability of maintainingPASI response was significantly higher for adalimumab followed by infliximab. For PsO patients,the odds of losing PASI 75 was higher in etanercept-treated patients (OR: 8.1; 95% CI: 4.2–15.6,p<.001) or infliximab (OR: 6.6; 95% CI: 2.6–16.3,p<.001) vs. adalimumab. Likewise, for PsApatients the odds of losing PASI 75 was higher in etanercept-treated patients (OR: 2.3; 95% CI:1.4–3.8,p5.01) or infliximab (OR: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.1–4.1,p5.018) vs. adalimumab. Adalimumabcould be the best therapeutic option over other anti-TNF agents for the treatment of PsO and PsApatients

Cellulite: Nature and aetiopathogenesis

Abstract Only a limited number of studies on cellulite have been published in the international literature and many of them reach somewhat antithetical conclusions. Consequently, it is not yet possible to reconcile the extreme differences of opinion which have lingered on for years concerning the nature of this disorder, as well as its origin and even the most basic aspects of its histopathological classification. It does not even have a recognized name: in fact, the term &apos;cellulitis&apos; is used in scientific English to indicate a spreading gangrenous infection of the subcutaneous cellular tissue. The other terms used from time to time [panniculitis, lipodystrophy, edematofibrosclerotic panniculitis (EFP), liposclerosis, lipoedema, etc.] have quite different morphological and pathogenetic connotations in general. Over the last few decades, three major conflicting theories have emerged in relation to the ethiopathogenesis of cellulite. These indicate, respectively, the following causes: 1. Oedema caused by excessive hydrophilia of the intercellular matrix. 2. A homeostatic alteration on a regional microcirculatory level; this pathogenetic theory is summarized in a synthetic and self-explanatory denomination: EFP. 3. A peculiar anatomical conformation of the subcutaneous tissue of women, different from male morphology. These theories must all now be updated in the light of recent advances on the sophisticated and composite physiopathology of the adipose organwhich acts not only as a control device which regulates the systematic equilibrium of energy and modulates the food intake and the metabolism of other tissue substrate through a multiple glandular secretion of hormones and parahormones. Ré sumé Seulement un nombre limité d&apos;études sur la cellulite a été publié dans la littérature internationale et beaucoup de ces articles arrivent à des conclusions plutôt antithétiques. Par conséquent, actuellement il est impossible de reconcilier les opinions extrèmement différentes concernant la nature de ce désordre, ainsi que son origine, de même que les aspects les plus basilaires de sa classification histopathologique. Le nom même de cette affection n&apos;est pas reconnu: en fait le terme &apos;&apos; cellulite &apos;&apos;est utilisé dans le language scientifique pour indiquer une inflammation du tissu cellulaire sous-cutané, d&apos;origine infectieuse. Les autres termes employés de temps an temps tels que panniculopathie, lipodystrophie, panniculopathie oedémato-fibroscléreuse, liposclérose, lipoedème etc. ont en general des connotations morphologiques e pathogénétiques tout à fait différentes. Au cours des dernières décen-nies, trois principales théories contradictoires ont émergé pour ce qui concerne l&apos;etiopathologie dela cellulite. Chacune théorie indique respectivement les suivantes causes

Human hair and the impact of cosmetic procedures: a review on cleansing and shape-modulating cosmetics

Hair can be strategically divided into two distinct parts: the hair follicle, deeply buried in the skin, and the visible hair fiber. The study of the hair follicle is mainly addressed by biological sciences while the hair fiber is mainly studied from a physicochemical perspective by cosmetic sciences. This paper reviews the key topics in hair follicle biology and hair fiber biochemistry, in particular the ones associated with the genetically determined cosmetic attributes: hair texture and shape. The traditional and widespread hair care procedures that transiently or permanently affect these hair fiber features are then described in detail. When hair is often exposed to some particularly aggressive cosmetic treatments, hair fibers become damaged. The future of hair cosmetics, which are continuously evolving based on ongoing research, will be the development of more efficient and safer procedures according to consumers needs and concerns.Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for providing Célia F. Cruz the grant for PhD studies (scholarship SFRH/BD/100927/2014) and Teresa Matamá the grant for post-doctoral research (SFRH/BPD/102153/2014). This work was also supported by FCT under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 and UID/BIA/04050/2013 units, COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684andPOCI-01-0145-FEDER-007569) and under the Project RECI/BBB-EBI/0179/2012 (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-027462).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Decreased levels of metalloproteinase-9 and angiogenic factors in skin lesions of patients with psoriatic arthritis after therapy with anti-TNF-α

BACKGROUND: Inflammation represents an early and key event in the development of both the cutaneous psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Compelling evidences indicate that the production of TNF-α plays a central role in psoriasis by sustaining the inflammatory process in the skin as well as in the joints. Among the multiple effects produced by TNF-α on keratinocytes, the induction of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), a collagenase implicated in joint inflammatory arthritis which acts as an angiogenesis promoting factor, might represent a key mechanism in the pathogenesis of the disease. Aims of the present study were to investigate a) the role of MMP-9 in the development of psoriasis by assessing the presence of MMP-9 in lesional skin and in sera of psoriatic patients; b) the association of MMP-9 with the activity of the disease; c) the relationship between MMP-9 and TNF-α production. METHODS: Eleven psoriatic patients, clinically presenting joint symptoms associated to the cutaneous disease, were included in a therapeutic protocol based on the administration of anti-TNF-α monoclonal antibody (Infliximab). Sera and skin biopsies were collected before treatment and after 6 weeks of therapy. Tissues were kept in short term cultures and production soluble mediators such as TNF-α, MMP-9, MMP-2, VEGF and E-Selectin, which include angiogenic molecules associated to the development of plaque psoriasis, were measured in the culture supernatants by immunoenzymatic assays (ng/ml or pg/ml per mg of tissue). MMP-9 concentrations were also measured in the sera. The cutaneous activity of disease was evaluated by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). RESULTS: Clinical and laboratory assessment indicated that all but one patients had a significant improvement of the PASI score after three months of therapy. The clinical amelioration was associated to a significant decrease of MMP-9 (P = 0.017), TNF-α (P = 0.005) and E-selectin (P = 0.018) levels, spontaneously released by lesional biopsies before and after therapy. In addition, significant correlations were found between the PASI measurements and TNF-α (r(2 )= 0.33, P = 0.005), MMP-9 (r(2 )= 0.25, P = 0.017), E-selectin (r(2 )= 0.24, P = 0.018) production. MMP-9 levels were significantly correlated with those of TNF-α (r(2 )= 0.30, P = 0.008). A significant decrease of MMP-9 in the sera, associated to the clinical improvement was also found. CONCLUSION: Our findings show the existence of a direct relationship between MMP-9 and TNF-α production strongly suggesting that MMP-9 may play a key role in the skin inflammatory process in psoriasis

Dry skin management: practical approach in light of latest research on skin structure and function

Dry skin is a common condition that is attributed to a lack of water in the stratum corneum. With the availability of new technologies, light has been shed on the pathophysiology of dry skin at the molecular level. With the aim to discuss implications of this latest research for the optimal formulation of emollients designed to treat dry skin, five specialists met in November 2017. Research on three topics thereby provided particularly detailed new insights on how to manage dry skin: research on the lipid composition and organization of the stratum corneum, research on natural moisturizing factors, and research on the peripheral nervous system. There was consensus that latest research expands the rationale to include physiological lipids in an emollient used for dry skin, as they were found to be essential for an adequate composition and organization in the stratum corneum but are reduced in dry skin. Latest findings also confirmed the incorporation of carefully selected humectants into a topical emollient for dry skin, given the reduced activity of enzymes involved in the synthesis of moisturizing factors when skin is dry. Overall, the group of specialists concluded that the previous concept of the five components for an ideal emollient for dry skin is well in accordance with latest research.Drug Delivery Technolog

Analysis of blood and lymph vascularization patterns in tissue-engineered human dermo-epidermal skin analogs of different pigmentation

PURPOSE: Bioengineered dermo-epidermal skin analogs containing melanocytes represent a promising approach to cover large skin defects including restoration of the patient's own skin color. So far, little is known about the development of blood and lymphatic vessels in pigmented skin analogs after transplantation. In this experimental study, we analyzed the advancement and differences of host blood and lymphatic vessel ingrowth into light- and dark-pigmented human tissue-engineered skin analogs in a rat model. METHODS: Keratinocytes, melanocytes, and fibroblasts from light- and dark-pigmented skin biopsies were isolated, cultured, and expanded. For each donor, melanocytes and keratinocytes were seeded in ratios of 1:1, 1:5, and 1:10 onto fibroblast-containing collagen gels. The skin analogs were subsequently transplanted onto full-thickness wounds of immuno-incompetent rats and quantitatively analyzed for vascular and lymphatic vessel density after 8 and 15 weeks. RESULTS: The skin analogs revealed a significant difference in vascularization patterns between light- and dark-pigmented constructs after 8 weeks, with a higher amount of blood vessels in light compared to dark skin. In contrast, no obvious difference could be detected within the light- and dark-pigmented group when varying melanocyte/keratinocyte ratios were used. However, after 15 weeks, the aforementioned difference in blood vessel density between light and dark constructs could no longer be detected. Regarding lymphatic vessels, light and dark analogs showed similar vessel density after 8 and 15 weeks, while there were generally less lymphatic than blood vessels. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that, at least during early skin maturation, keratinocytes, melanocytes, and fibroblasts from different skin color types used to construct pigmented dermo-epidermal skin analogs have distinct influences on the host tissue after transplantation. We speculate that different VEGF expression patterns might be involved in this disparate revascularization pattern observed

Health-related quality of life in psoriasis: an analysis of Psocare project patients

Psoriasis is a common, chronic, immune-mediated skin disorder that may be complicated by psoriatic arthritis in up to one-third of patients. Psoriasis treatments are increasingly effective, yet more expensive, thus requiring rational decision-making on interventional priorities. The ability to perform cost-utility analyses is hindered by the lack of algorithms that allow the inference of utility measures, like QALY, from specific dermatological health-related qualityof- life (HR-QoL) measures (e.g. Dermatology Life Quality Index [DLQI]). This study aimed to assess whether psoriasisrelated HR-QoL data (DLQI) could be used to obtain utility measures for use in economic analyses