Eye irritation of low-irritant cosmetic formulations: correlation of in vitro results with clinical data and product composition.

Alternative methods to the Draize eye irritation test, such as the hen's egg test-chorioallantoic membrane (HET-CAM) or the bovine corneal opacity and permeability (BCOP) tests, are currently used to evaluate the irritant potential of cosmetic or consumer products. Although, for strong irritants, the results of these tests correlate well with those of the Draize test, they appear to be less suited to identify mild irritants. In order to improve the sensitivity of alternative eye irritation tests, we developed a novel method that uses a human corneal epithelial cell line (CEPI), and the endpoints of cytotoxicity and IL-8 release.

Conjunctival proinflammatory and proapoptotic effects of latanoprost and preserved and unpreserved timolol: an ex vivo and in vitro study.

Purpose: To compare the toxicity of latanoprost and preserved and unpreserved timolol on conjunctival cells. Expression of inflammatory markers and MUC5AC-related mucin production were evaluated by impression cytology in a case-control ex vivo study. The proapoptotic effect of the same drugs was also evaluated in vitro in a conjunctival cell line and compared with that of benzalkonium chloride (BAC).

In vitro effects of preserved and unpreserved antiglaucoma drugs on apoptotic marker expression by human trabecular cells.

Background: The mechanisms of trabecular cell loss in glaucoma patients are poorly understood. In order to determine whether drug-induced apoptosis could be one of the mechanisms by which trabecular cells die in glaucoma, we evaluated the effect of benzalkonium-preserved (BAC+) or preservative-free (BAC-) antiglaucoma medications on apoptotic marker expression by cultured human trabecular meshwork (HTM) cells.

Methods: Normal and glaucomatous trabecular cell lines were treated for 15 min with antiglaucoma drugs (1/100 and 1/10 dilutions): timolol BAC+ or BAC-, betaxolol BAC+ or BAC-, latanoprost BAC+ or pure BAC.

[Combining artificial tears---are they always synergistic?].

We report one case of thick, sticky, palpebral and conjunctival deposits following administration of artificial tears in a patient treated for dry eye syndrome. Experimental data confirmed clinical observation. The association of Refresh artificial tears and Dacudoses or Dacryoserum used as a washing solution should be avoided.