Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is an antioxidant that is widely used in cosmetics in skincare products. Due to the excessive low stability of ascorbic acid in cosmetic formulations, the stabilized ascorbic acid derivative, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (MAP) was formulated as vesicular carriers; ethosomes and niosomes. The aim was to deliver MAP at the intended site of action, the skin, for sufficient time with enhanced permeation to get an effective response. Ethosomes were formulated using a full 3
2
factorial design to study ethanol and phospholipid concentration effect on ethosomes properties. Niosomes were formulated using 2
3
factorial designs to study the effect of surfactant type, surfactant concentration and cholesterol concentration on niosomes properties. The prepared formulations were evaluated for their Entrapment efficiency, particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential and % drug permeated. The optimized ethosomal and niosomal formulations were incorporated into carbopol gel and evaluated for their permeation, skin retention and stability. A comparative split-face clinical study was done between the ethosomal and niosomal formulations for melasma treatment using Antera 3 D
®
camera. The optimized ethosomal and niosomal gels showed comparable controlled permeation and higher skin retention over their ethosomes and niosomes formulations respectively. Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate ethosomal gel showed clinically and statistically significant melanin level decrease after one month while MAP niosomal gel showed clinically and statistically significant melanin level decrease after six months. A combination of MAP ethosomes and niosomes could be promising skincare formulations for melasma and hyperpigmentation short and long-term treatment.
Background
Atopic dermatitis is characterized by impaired skin barrier and altered cutaneous innate immunity. The estimated prevalence among Egyptian children was 10–12%. Several studies suggest that it may be associated with systemic comorbidities other than the spectrum of atopy, such as metabolic syndrome and other inflammatory conditions. The aim of this study is to compare the profile of systemic conditions of diabetes, dyslipidemia, and multiple inflammatory markers in children with and without diagnosed atopic dermatitis.
Methods
One hundred atopic dermatitis patients and 101 normal controls were collected from outpatient clinic based on their clinical condition, both had measurement of body mass index, blood sugar, serum insulin, lipid profile, C reactive protein, and gamma-glutamyl transferase.
Results
Children diagnosed with atopic dermatitis had significantly higher levels of body mass index (34.7 ± 5.7 vs 26.1 ± 4.9), fasting glucose (143.2 ± 30.3 vs 100.8 ± 16.0), serum insulin (11.3 ± 4.4 vs. 4.6 ± 3.0), serum triglycerides (194.1 ± 38.1 vs 156.2 ± 31.6), total cholesterol (198.4 ± 27.7 vs 163.7 ± 27.7), alkaline phosphatase (229.4 ± 89.8 vs. 189.4 ± 46.8), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (54.7 ± 19.9 vs 34.3 ± 9.5), C-reactive protein level was approximately four times higher (19.9 ± 13.2 vs 5.1 ± 3.4) and the immunoglobulin E level was approximately 10 times higher (2050.3 ± 843.8 vs 252.7 ± 103.1) than in controls
Conclusion
We found a positive relationship of atopic dermatitis with both diabetes and hyperlipidemia among children, and positive dose-response relationship of several non-traditional biomarkers of C-reactive protein, gamma-glutamyl transferase, and alkaline phosphatase with the presence and severity of atopic dermatitis.
Various therapeutic options are available for verruca. While physical destruction may be associated with scarring, immunotherapy may be effective in treating warts through stimulating body immune response. The objective of the study was to compare the efficacy, safety, and outcome of Candida antigen vs diphencyprone (DPCP) in the treatment of warts. Fifty patients were randomly assigned to receive either intralesional Candida antigen every 3 weeks or weekly DPCP application. Both treatments were applied only to the mother wart. Lesions’ clearance and associated side effects were observed up to 4 weeks after treatment. Two blinded physicians evaluated photos of warts before and 4 weeks after the end of treatment. Both modalities granted wart clearance and/or improvement with no statistically significant difference; however, Candida antigen was significantly better in clearing adjacent untreated warts (p = 0.046). Fewer side effects were observed among the Candida antigen group. The response was duration associated in the Candida groups only. Intralesional Candida antigen injection and DPCP treatments for warts yielded improvement with superiority of Candida injection in eradicating distant lesions and fewer side effects. A shorter wart duration may be associated with a better therapeutic response with Candida antigen.
Acne vulgaris (AV), a widely common disorder, that negatively affects the quality of life. Metformin is a relatively safe, cheap and well tolerated drug that is widely used in the treatment of Diabetes. Systemic metformin has demonstrated promising results in treating acne, while topically it was studied for melasma and recalcitrant central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia. To study the safety and efficacy of topical metformin 30% in the treatment of AV. Twenty‐seven female AV patients were asked to blindly apply metformin and placebo gels to either side of the face for 12 weeks. AV lesion count was performed at baseline, at each visit and 4 weeks after end of treatment. At the end of the treatment period, the treated side showed significant improvement of comedones, papules and nodules but not pustules. Although, lesions count increased 1 month after stopping treatment, comedones and papules numbers were still significantly less on the metformin side compared to placebo. No side effects were reported. The limited number of patients studied and the limited follow‐up period. The metformin effect was not studied on cellular and molecular levels. Topical metformin nanoemulsion gel can be a promising safe and effective treatment of AV.
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