Modulating effects of oatmeal extracts in the sodium lauryl sulfate skin irritancy model.

The aim of the present study was to assess the anti-inflammatory activity of two topically applied oatmeal extracts, i.e. Avena sativa and Avena Rhealba, using the sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) irritation model.

Seasonal variability in the biophysical properties of stratum corneum from different anatomical sites.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: A 10-month-long study on a panel of 24 young female subjects was carried out to determine whether various biophysical aspects of the stratum corneum (SC) varied with season. METHODS: Three different anatomical sites (calf, inner forearm and crow's foot wrinkle area of the face) were assessed in February, April, July and December of the same year. The assessments made were skin surface hydration using an electrical capacitance technique, transepidermal water loss by evaporimetry, number of corneocytes released using a turbine stimulation method, and skin surface topography using optical profilometry.

Potential of a high-frequency correlation method to study skin blood flow.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The vast number of existing dedicated techniques proves that skin blood flow estimation is an unsolved problem. Specificities of cutaneous vascularization (very low blood velocity, noisy environment, complexity of the vascularization architecture) result in the unsuitability of conventional ultrasonic Doppler techniques (long acquisition time, low spatial resolution). The object here was to present a high-frequency time-domain correlation METHOD: In particular, the difficulties of adaptating this type of measurement (data processing, hardware problem) are pointed out.

Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study on clinical efficacy of ciclopiroxolamine 1% cream in facial seborrhoeic dermatitis.

Background: Antifungal agents are beneficial in the treatment of seborrhoeic dermatitis.

Objectives: To perform a randomized, vehicle-controlled, double-blind clinical study with an antifungal ciclopiroxolamine (CIC) 1% cream in patients with mild-to-moderate seborrhoeic dermatitis of the face.

Methods: One hundred and twenty-nine patients were enrolled, 57 patients in the CIC group and 72 patients in the vehicle group, and comprised the study population for efficacy (intent-to-treat analysis) and safety.

Tolerance profile of a sterile moisturizer and moisturizing cleanser in irritated and sensitive skin.

Background: This study evaluates the tolerance of preservative free sterile cleanser and sterile moisturizer in irritated and sensitive face skin.

Materials And Methods: An exploratory, open-label study using the cleanser and the moisturizer in combination was performed with 98 patients with a documented history of allergic contact dermatitis. The 2 products could each be used once or twice daily for 28 days.

A low-salt medical water reduces irritancy of retinoic acid in facial acne.

Although effective medications are available for the treatment of acne, tolerance problems may preclude adequate treatment regimens such as topical retinoic acid, and reduce patient compliance. The present study was conducted to evaluate whether a medical water (Avène) in conjunction with retinoic acid may improve local tolerance in acne. A controlled, open, randomised, multicentric study was completed after 28 days of treatment in 69 acne patients, 34 applying a retinoic acid preparation alone, and 35 applying retinoic acid in association with the water spray used ad libitum.

Adrenal medullary explants as an efficient tool for pain control: adhesive biomolecular components are involved in graft function ex vivo.

Adrenal medullary (AM) tissue transplantation into the central nervous system has been reported as a potential source of opioid peptides and catecholamines, which have analgesic effects useful in the control of chronic pain. Clinical trials, involving allogeneic graft of whole tissue explants into the subarachnoid space of the lumbar spinal cord, have already been reported. The aim of the present study was to determine whether adhesion and function of AM explants were related in some extent and how this relationship could account for improvement of AM tissue in terms of analgesic activity before grafting.

Sensory analysis of four medical spa spring waters containing various mineral concentrations.

Background: Medical spa spring waters (MSSWs) have been extensively used as adjunctive treatments for various skin conditions to provide skin comfort. We carried out a double-blind study to compare the sensory profile of four MSSWs with increasing mineral content.

Methods: A panel of 36 women, trained to perform comparative sensory analysis, applied in pairs four MSSWs with mineral contents of 0.

Retinaldehyde alleviates rosacea.

Background: Anecdotal observations suggest that retinoic acid may be effective in mild rosacea.

Aim: Our aim was to investigate, by an exploratory clinical and instrumental study, the effects of a topical formulation with the retinoic acid precursor retinaldehyde, in patients with vascular signs of facial rosacea.

Methods: Female patients were treated with a 0.

Efficacy of topical 0.05% retinaldehyde in skin aging by ultrasound and rheological techniques.

Background: The natural precursor of retinoic acid, i.e. retinaldehyde, has been proven to exert retinoid activities.

Low-salt water reduces intestinal permeability in atopic patients.

Background: Clinical remission of atopic dermatitis (AD) after intake of a low-salt water has recently been reported.

Methods: We here investigated the effects of a low-salt water in AD patients with increased intestinal permeability to lactulose. From an initial group of 75 atopic patients, who undertook a treatment in a medical spa center, 12 were included because of abnormal urinary excretion of lactulose (>0.

Insolubilization test of sodium chondroitin sulphate with a view to its use as colonic carrier of drugs.

Several studies have been devoted to cross-linked sodium chondroitin sulphate (SCS), in the context of numerous strategies attempting to target the colon for the absorption or the therapeutic action of a drug. SCS, a glycosaminoglycan presenting a specific degradation in the colon, is in fact soluble in water and its use as drug carrier at such a distance from the digestive tube necessitates its hydrophobisation. One method described in the literature consists in manufacturing a three-dimensional network by cross-linking with bifunctional compounds.