Multicentre comparison of skin hydration in terms of physical-, physiological- and product-dependent parameters by the capacitive method (Corneometer CM 825).

A multicentre study for measuring skin hydration with 349 volunteers was carried out in six different laboratories. The purpose of the study was to investigate physical-, physiological- and product-dependent parameters of three test emulsions (base, base + moisturizer and base + moisturizer + lipids) in a double-blind study. A comparison between analogous and digital sensor technology of the Corneometer CM825 was examined. Here, a clear relationship between both sensor types could be highlighted. A vital point of the study was the division of the test subjects according to their skin type. To get more objective limits for three different skin types - very dry, dry and normal skin - visual expert evaluation, self-assessment and hydration measurements were analysed by means of statistical methods. The moisture-related skin types were determined as follows: very dry skin was characterized with corneometer units below 30, dry skin between 30 and 40 and normal skin higher than 40 a.u. (arbitrary units). The efficacy of the three test emulsions was examined in relation to the mentioned skin types. Analysing the measured data of all test centres, a clear dependency of skin physiology (skin type) and product efficacy became evident. The drier the skin, the higher the increase of hydration. The product performance of the three test emulsions compared to the untreated control resulted in a significant increase of skin hydration in all measuring centres. The evaluation of a product ranking showed a good differentiation between the basic emulsion and the two other products. An increase of efficacy by adding lipids could be observed in four of six centres. The important influence of the skin type of the volunteers on the degree of product performance, as demonstrated in this study, should be especially considered when drawing up guidelines for efficacy testing.

Dexpanthenol enhances skin barrier repair and reduces inflammation after sodium lauryl sulphate-induced irritation.

BACKGROUND: Dexpanthenol-containing creams have been widely used for treatment of lesions (superficial wounds) of the skin and mucous membranes. Dexpanthenol is converted in tissues to pantothenic acid, a component of coenzyme A. Coenzyme A catalyses early steps in the synthesis of fatty acids and sphingolipids which are of crucial importance for stratum corneum lipid bilayers and cell membrane integrity. AIM: In the present study, the effects were examined of a dexpanthenol-containing cream on skin barrier repair, stratum corneum hydration, skin roughness, and inflammation after sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS)-induced irritation. METHODS: Irritation was induced by application of SLS in patch test chambers. The dexpanthenol-contaming cream or the vehicle were applied twice daily and barrier repair, hydration, roughness, and inflammation of the skin were determined by using biophysical methods. RESULTS: Significantly accelerated skin barrier repair was found in treatments with the dexpanthenol-containing cream (verum) compared with vehicle-treated (placebo) or untreated skin. Both verum and placebo showed an increase in stratum corneum hydration, but significantly more so with the dexpanthenol-containing cream. Both creams reduced skin roughness, but again the verum was superior. The dexpanthenol-containing cream significantly reduced skin redness as a sign of inflammation in contrast to the vehicle, which produced no effect. CONCLUSION: Treatment with a dexpanthenol-containing cream showed significantly enhanced skin barrier repair and stratum corneum hydration, while reducing skin roughness and inflammation.

Improving skin function with CM-glucan, a biological response modifier from yeast.

Preparations from yeast have been used for a long time for cosmetic and pharmaceutical purposes. Studies have identified glucan from the cell wall of baker's yeast as an immunologically active agent. Glucan is a poly beta-( 1-3)-linked glucopyranose of high molecular weight and belongs to the class of compounds known as biological response modifiers. Glucan preparations are involved in the activation of the body's natural defence mechanisms and in the acceleration of the skin's wound healing processes. In the skin, Langerhans' cells and keratinocytes are the immunologically competent cells. Recent studies indicate that UV irradiation can deplete the number and viability of these cells (immunosuppression). The use of non-specific immune-stimulators, such as glucan, is a new approach for improving the function of stressed skin. We have developed a process to modify pure glucan from baker's yeast to carboxymethyl glucan (CM-glucan), a water soluble product suitable for topical formulations. The functional properties of this new compound have been investigated in vitro and in vivo. Cell culture experiments showed that CM-glucan protects skin cells against the depletion of antioxidant molecules upon UV-A irradiation and promotes the growth of keratinocytes. In placebo controlled studies with healthy volunteers, the pretreatment of skin with CM-glucan offered substantial protection against skin damage caused by a detergent challenge or UV-A irradiation. In addition, CM-glucan enhanced the renewal rate of the stratum corneum.

Incorporation of radioiodinated IPPA and BMIPP fatty acid analogues into complex lipids from isolated rat hearts.

Heart lipids were extracted by the Folch technique from Langendorff-perfused rat hearts after administration of 15-(p-[131I]iodophenyl)pentadecanoic acid and 15-(p-[125I]iodophenyl)-3-R,S-methylpentadecanoic acid. Techniques utilizing successive high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) analyses have been developed for the evaluation of the uptake of the tracers into neutral lipids and phospholipids of the rat hearts. Phospholipids were separated on a SiO2 column eluted with a gradient of acetonitrile/water (97.5/2.5) and acetonitrile/water (85/15) followed by separation of the neutral lipids on a C-18 reversed phase column with a gradient consisting of acetonitrile and 2-propanol/hexane (60/40) containing 1 N H2SO4 (5 microL/100 mL). Both tracers show the incorporation into the expected major lipid classes.

[Quantitative studies of the interaction of polyvinylpyrrolidone iodine and spermatozoa]. / Quantitative Untersuchungen zur Interaktion von PVP-Jod und Spermatozoen.

27 ejaculates were incubated together with polyvidone iodine diluted with physiological saline solution in various proportions. 10 minutes, 1 hour, 4 hours, and 20 hours later, we determined the percentages of mobile and viable spermatozoa in both the native and the incubated seminal fluid. 1% polyvidone iodine solution was totally spermicidal already after 10 minutes of incubation. 0.1% solution only slightly reduced the sperm motility and viability. 0.01% polyvidone iodine solution even resulted in a temporary increase of motility.

[Profilometry, a method for the assessment of the therapeutic effectiveness of Kamillosan ointment]. / Profilometrie, eine Methode zur Beurteilung der therapeutischen Wirksamkeit von Kamillosan-Salbe.

Experimentally induced toxic contact dermatitis was topically treated with 3 different ointments (Kamillosan ointment, Kamillosan ointment base. 0.1% hydrocortisone acetate). The structural changes of the epidermal surface were studied by means of profilometry. According to our results, Kamillosan ointment is remarkably superior to other reference products with regard to its soothing effect on human skin.

[Triglycerides and phospholipids - relation to fertility]. / Triglyzeride und Phospholipide - Beziehung zur Fertilität.

Searching for further characteristics of sperm in the diagnosis of male infertility it was examined if ejaculates with "normo-, oligo-, astheno-, terato-" and "azoospermia" showed typical modifications in their triglyceride- and phospholipid contents. The examination was conveyed in spermatozoa and seminal plasma. In its results the examination of triglycerides showed no connection between concentration and diagnosis. In relation to its phospholipid contents the seminal plasma of "oligo-" and "azoospermia" was richer while it was diminished in the seminal plasma of "terato-" and "asthenozoospermia". The examination of spermatozoa taken from terato- and oligozoosperm ejaculates showed as well diminished concentrations in their phospholipid contents.

[Hexosamine content of normal and pathological human sperm]. / Hexosamingehalt im normalen und pathologischen Humansperma.

Glucosamine and galactosamin were determined in 96 human ejaculates. The principal hexosamine of spermatozoa was galactosamin on the other hand glucosamin was the principal aminosugar of seminal plasma. The results were compared with the fertility parameters. Our results show no definity relation between the hexosamine concentration and the andrological conditions.

Analysis of phospholipids in human semen by high-performance liquid chromatography.

A sensitive method for the separation of phospholipids by a high-performance liquid chromatographic procedure is described. The chromatographic separation was achieved on a 25-cm column packed with Bio-Sil HP-10 coupled with a pre-column packed with Si-100 Polyol. Phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylglycerol, cardiolipin, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, sphingomyelin, lysophosphatidylethanolamine and lysophosphatidylcholine were completely separated and quantitated. The eluted phospholipids were monitored at 203 nm. The method was shown to be applicable to the analysis of phospholipids from human semen.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids in relation to sperm motility.

The absolute amounts of phospholipid-linked fatty acids of different andrological conditions were analyzed by gas-liquid-chromatography. There was a significant linear correlation between docosahexaenoic acid and the spermatozoal density. Similarly there was a significant correlation between the content of docosahexaenoic acid and the number of motile normal sperm. These findings suggest that the process of lipid peroxidation is probably one of the biochemical causes of the low docosahexaenoic acid content in poorly motile sperm.

Superoxide dismutase in human semen.

Amounts of Copper/zinc containing superoxide dismutase have been found in human seminal plasma. Superoxide dismutase inhibits the lipid peroxidation in the xanthine oxidase system. In seminal plasma of spermatozoa with a good motility the superoxide dismutase activity is higher than in those with a low motility.

[Free fatty acid composition in psoriasis vulgaris]. / Zusammensetzung der freien Fettsäuren bei der Psoriasis vulgaris.

The composition of free fatty acids of hair lipids from subjects with psoriasis vulgaris (n = 60) and a control group (n = 30) was determine by gas liquid chromatography. The analysis indicates that the percentage composition of longer chain fatty acids was distinctly higher in psoriasis vulgaris. It is suggested that patients with psoriasis vulgaris have either a different air lipid composition and a different microbial activity or different activities of the epidermic esterases.

Free amino-acid composition of human seminal plasma in different andrological diagnoses.

The free amino acid content of human seminal plasma was studied 30 min after ejaculation. Serine, threonine and tyrosine were the principal amino acids. A comparison of the amino acid concentration of four andrological diagnoses indicates that there was a connection between certain amino acids and spermatozoa.

[Protein composition of human sperm from oligozoo-, teratozoo-, asthenozoo- and azoospermia]. / Zusammensetzung der Proteine des Humanspermas bei Oligozoo-, Teratozo-, Asthenozoo- und Azoospermie.

The amino acid analysis of seminalplasma and spermatozoa shows for the different andrological diagnoses that the predominant amino acids were aspartic--and glutamic acid, serine, glycine and lysine. Analytical data indicate that there were differences between plasma and spermatozoa for a lot of amino acids. No differences in the protein composition of the ejaculates were found between the various groups of andrological diagnoses.

[Fatty acid composition of lipids from the hair in psoriasis vulgaris (author's transl)]. / Fettsäureverteilung der Haarlipide bei der Psoriasis vulgaris.

The composition of fatty acids of hair lipids and the sum of hair and scalp lipids from subjects with Psoriasis vulgaris and a control group was determined by gas liquid chromatography. The analyses indicates that the percentage compositions of lauric acid was distinctly higher by Psoriasis vulgaris.

[Amino acid composition of human semen from different clinical diagnoses]. / Verteilung der Aminosäuren im Humansperma unter diagnostischen Gesichtspunkten.

The amino acid analysis of human semen shows for the different clinical diagnoses the predominant amino acids aspartic acid, serine, glycine, leucine and lysine. Analytical data indicate that there were differences in the amino acid composition between oligo- or azoospermia and terato- or asthenozoospermia by aspartic acid, glutamic acid, threonine, glycine, alanine and isoleucine.