Oral Administration of Glycine and Leucine Dipeptides Improves Skin Hydration and Elasticity in UVB-Irradiated Hairless Mice

Placenta is a special organ that contains many nutrients such as growth factors, minerals, and bioactive peptides. Dipeptides of glycine and leucine are major components of porcine placenta extracts (PPE) that has been used as an alternative of human placenta extracts. In this study, we investigated whether major peptides of PPE, Glycyl-L-Leucine (Gly-Leu), L-Leucyl-Glycine (Leu-Gly), and L-Leucyl-L-Leucine (Leu-Leu), affect skin hydration and elasticity in vitro and in vivo. We found that Gly-Leu and Leu-Gly dipeptides induced the expression of transglutaminase 1 in normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs) whereas Leu-Leu dipeptides did not. Treatment with Gly-Leu or Leu-Gly significantly increased hyaluronan (HA) synthesis in NHEKs and the upregulation of hyaluronan synthase 2 (HAS2) mRNA level was confirmed. In addition, elastase activity was inhibited in NHEKs treated with Gly-Leu or Leu-Gly dipeptides. Oral administration of Gly-Leu or Leu-Gly dipeptides increased skin hydration and elasticity in UVB-irradiated hairless mice. The significant upregulation of HA in UVB-irradiated hairless mice was observed in response to oral administration of Gly-Leu or Leu-Gly. These results suggest that the major dipeptides of porcine placenta, Gly-Leu and Leu-Gly, are potentially active ingredients for skin moisturization formulations.

Injections for nutrition and cosmetic purposes: promoted effect vs. objective evidence

The introduction of intravenous nutritional therapy for cosmetic and health purposes in Korea has been controversial. Because it brings ethical problems of off-label prescribing on the basis of low level of medical evidences for claims of fatigue reduction, detoxification, anti-inflammation effect, skin whitening, antioxidant and anti-aging effects. Despite the lack of clinical studies, the verification of the efficacy and safety of intravenous nutritional therapy and the need to provide objective information to patients are prerequisite for the correct intravenous use. In addition, efforts should be made to prevent the abuse for commercial purposes.

The Therapeutic Effect of Porcine Placenta Extract for Improvement Sequelae of Burn

PURPOSE: Burn injury cause pruritis, pain, psychological and functional sequelae. The one of burn injury sequelae is the hypertrophic scar. It is difficult to control devastating fibrotic condition for hypertrophic scar. The objective of this study was to investigated the therapeutic effect on burn hypertrophic scar and wound healing for sequelae of burn injury by Porcine placenta extract (PPE). METHODS: To investigate the effect of PPE, we performed in vitro cell cytotoxity test (MTT assay), antioxidant activity assay (SOD like activity), melanin content assay, cell migration asssay and RT-PCR. RESULTS: As a result of cell cytotoxity test (MTT assay), PPE showed above 80% cell viability. From Antioxidant activity assay (SOD like activity), this effect was similar to vitamin C. In the melanin content assay, melanin synthesis was inhibited 23% on PPE treatment than control. PPE enhanced cell migration on human fibroblast and decreased the expression of hypertropic scar related gene (a-SMA and P311). CONCLUSION: Our data showed anti-oxidant effect, diminution of melanin and decrease of the expression of hypertropic scar related gene on the treatment of PPE. These results may provide the insight into the potential use of porcine placenta extract as support to control skin fibrosis related to burn hypertrophic scar and alternative medicine for burn sequelae.

Effect of Intradermal Injection of Placenta Hydrolysate to Postburn Hyperpigmented Skin

PURPOSE: The skin hyperpigmentation or hypermelanosis caused by burns results in social withdrawal due to cosmetic problem and depression as a psychiatric aspect. The treatment of the skin hyperpigmentation includes sunscreen, whitening material, skin massage, laser therapy and plastic surgery. Placenta extract can be used to reduce and inactivate the synthesis of the important enzyme (tyrosinase) that compose melanin. This study was performed to estimate the effect of intradermal injection of placenta extract (placenta hydrolysate) for the postburn hyperpigmentation. METHODS: Total 10 subjects who have postburn hyperpigmentation were selected. Two sites of skin area from each subject were randomly selected as possible as symmetrical body area, the one site was to be 'treated site' with placenta extract, the other site was untreated 'control site'. The injection was performed weekly for about 4 weeks only to the 'treated site', not to the control site. The both site were measured by pigment index using Mexameter. The index was also converted to the percentage that indicate a change of after-injection to before-injection. RESULTS: The pigment index of 'treated site' was 399.5+/-63.9 before treatment, and then it had decreased to 333.6+/-59.5 after 4 weeks of injection. The change after injection compared to before injection was significant statistically (p0.05). CONCLUSION: As a result, in the posttburn hyperpigmentation scar, the intradermal injection of placenta extract may be helpful in the management of hyperpigmentation or rehabilitation process of the hypertrophic scar.

A Case of Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis Following Placenta Extract Injection / 결핵및호흡기질환

Human placenta contains various kinds of nutritional elements essential for embryonic development. Currently, human placenta extracts are widely overused in Korea to improve certain health conditions (postmenopausal syndrome, liver function, and cosmetic purposes) without scientific evidence that they actually work. The use of placenta extracts should be restricted, due to a lack of systematic research on the therapeutic effectiveness and adverse results from these treatments. While the common adverse effects that have been reported are fever, rash, itching, nausea, vomiting, breast pain, and rare cases of anaphylactic shock, there have been no reports of pulmonary complications such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Recently, we experienced a patient with hypersensitivity pneumonitis following a placenta extract injection. To our knowledge, this is the first case of hypersensitivity pneumonitis associated with placenta extract use.

The Effect of Placenta Extract on Proliferation and Differentiation of Human Chondrocytes

PURPOSE: The isolated human chondrocytes for cartilage reconstruction and transplantation presents a major problem as these cells would change biologically in vitro. For more effective applications of these cells in the clinical field, it is necessary to get a large amount of cells in a short period without affecting their function and phenotype. METHODS: This study reports the effects of placenta extract on chondrocytes in vitro. We initiated this study on the basis of the hypothesis that placenta extract can influence both the proliferation of chondrocytes and their biologic functions(for example, to express cell specific gene or to produce their own extracellular matrix). Chondrocytes in monolayer culture with or without placenta extract were collected and analyzed by MTT assay, ECM assay, and RT-PCR. RESULTS: Placenta extract stimulated the proliferation of chondrocytes in monolayer culture. The phenotype of chondrocytes was well maintained during the expansion in monolayers. Chondrocytes expanded in the presence of placenta extract produced ECM, glycosaminoglycan, abundantly. Compared to chondrocyte expanded in culture medium only, chondrocytes expanded with placenta extract demonstrated higher COL2A1 expression that was biochemically comparable to primary chondrocytes. This study provides an evidence that placenta extract is helpful to expand chondrocytes during tissue cultivation, to maintain their differentiated phenotype and to promote their function. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that placenta extract during cultivation play an important role in controlling cell behaviors. Furthermore, these results provide a biologic basis for cartilage tissue engineering.