Influences of Orally Taken Carotenoid-Rich Curly Kale Extract on Collagen I/Elastin Index of the Skin

Two differently designed, spatially resolved reflectance spectroscopy-based scanners and two-photon tomography were used for noninvasive in vivo determination of cutaneous carotenoids, and collagen I/elastin aging index of dermis, respectively, in the skin of 29 healthy female volunteers between 40 and 56 years of age. The volunteers received a supplement in the form of a carotenoid-rich natural curly kale extract containing 1650 µg of carotenoids in total (three capsules of 550 µg), once a day. Measurements were taken before, after 5 months and after 10 months of daily supplementation. The results showed significantly increased values for the cutaneous carotenoids and the collagen I/elastin aging index of dermis 5 and 10 months after the beginning of the study. The obtained results show that a natural carotenoid- rich extract could prevent the aging-related collagen I degradation in the dermis and improve the extracellular matrix

SensoPlate™: Glass Bottom Microplates (24, 96, 384, 1536 Well) for High Performance Detection

Greiner Bio-One and Aventis Pharma have co-developed a full set of unique glass bottom microplates (24, 96, 384, 1536 well). The glass bottom plates incorporate high quality optical glass with a thickness of 175 µm bonded to the parent plastic microplate. All plates comply to the standardized microplate footprint and provide superior quality in applications where low autofluorescence and optical clarity are required. At the time, these plates are available in opaque black for high-resolution imaging, sensitive fluorescence and confocal microscopy applications, like fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and single molecule detection. The combination of modern confocal optics, new dyes as efficient fluorescent probes, sensitive PMTs, and fast data processing made FCS suitable for real time dynamics of single molecules in femtoliter volumes, close to the size of a common bacterial cell. This method has found its way as a tool for basic research as well as for industrial applications such as drug screening. Applications like FCS and confocal microscopy require high quality glass bottom plates with superior planarity. The new SensoPlates™ have a bottom flatness of less than 70 µm. The black frame of the SensoPlate™ consists of low autofluorescence, black opaque polystyrene to minimize light reflection and scattering. The glass bottom enables high transmittance and optical clarity for wavelengths from 350 up to 1000 nm. The biocompatible and medical grade adhesive applied provides strong and tight joints in water, PBS buffer and DMSO media between -10°C and 50°C. With the advent of SensoPlate™ a full set of glass bottom microplates (24, 96, 384, 1536 wells) is now available with high planarity, high optical clarity and low autofluorescence. The plates have already demonstrated its superior performance in selected applications

Skin Care Product Rich in Antioxidants and Anti-Inflammatory Natural Compounds Reduces Itching and Inflammation in the Skin of Atopic Dermatitis Patients

The atopic dermatitis (AD) complex pathogenesis mechanism reveals marked changes of certain signaling factors as well as some morphological alterations in the epidermis. Reduced resilience against environmental factors and oxidative stress often makes the treatment with corticosteroids or tacrolismus ointments indispensable. In view of the correlation between oxidative stress and AD pathological factors, antioxidants can be incorporated into AD management strategies. This study investigates a curly kale, apple and green tea-containing natural extract rich in antioxidants for its effects on signaling inflammatory molecules and skin barrier enhancement in human epidermal keratinocytes- (NHEKs) based cell assays. Furthermore, the skin penetration on porcine ears was measured ex vivo using Raman micro spectroscopy. Finally, in a double-blind half-side, placebo-controlled clinical study, the effects of a formulation containing this extract were analyzed for the influence of lesion severity, epidermal barrier function, and pruritus in mild to moderately AD patients. Summarizing our results: The extract reduces expression of inflammatory cytokines in keratinocytes and increases barrier-related molecules. The verum formulation with a very high antioxidant capacity used in AD patients with mild to moderate lesions reduces itching, local SCORAD, and improves barrier function and the hydration of skin lesions

Determination of the Antioxidant Status of the Skin by In Vivo-Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) Spectroscopy

Organisms produce free radicals which are essential for various metabolic processes (enzymatic oxidation, cellular respiration, signaling). Antioxidants are important chemical compounds that specifically prevent the oxidation of substances by scavenging radicals, especially reactive oxygen species (ROS). Made up of one or two unpaired electrons, ROS are free radicals that are highly reactive and can attack other metabolites. By using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, it is possible to measure paramagnetic substances such as free radicals. Therefore the dermal antioxidant activity can be determined by applying semi-stable radicals onto the skin and measuring the antioxidant-induced radical scavenging activity in the skin. In recent years, EPR has been developed as a spectroscopic method for determining the antioxidant status in vivo. Several studies have shown that an additional uptake of dietary supplements, such as carotenoids or vitamin C in physiological concentrations, provide a protective effect against free radicals. Using the EPR technique it could be demonstrated that the radical production in stress situations, such as irradiation with infrared and visible light, was reduced with time. However, not only the oral uptake of antioxidants, but also the topical application of antioxidants, e.g., a hyperforin-rich cream, is very useful against the development of oxidative stress. Regular application of a hyperforin-rich cream reduced radical formation. The skin lipids, which are very important for the barrier function of the skin, were also stabilized