Korean J Dermatol.  1997 Aug;35(4):660-666.

The Effect of Solvents Polarity on the Skin Barrier in Hairless Mice

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The stratom corneum lipids, responsible for the epidermal water bar rier, consist mainly of ceramides, cholesterol and free fatty acids. However, little has been studied about the effects of non-polar, polar and mixed organic solvents on the changes of the stratum corneum lipids bilayer.
OBJECTIVE
We designed this study in order to investigate the effect of non-polar, polar and mixed organic solvents on the lipids bilayer in hairless mice.
METHODS
Twenty four hairless mice were evenly divided into 4 groups; a control group, chloroform treated group, methanol treated group and mixed solvent(chloroform/methanol(2:1) ) treated gr oup. The changes in transepidermal water loss, as measured with an evaporimeter, were recorded after topical application of either chloroform, methanol or mixed solvents at 0, 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours respectiveh. For electron microscopy, the skin samples taken from the mice of ea.:h group were t.rented with osmium tetroxide and ruthenium tetroxide after the treatment with each solvent.
RESULTS
The results were as follows ; 1. From 0 to 24 hours after treatment with each solvent transepidermal water loss was significantly increased in the chloroform and the mixed solvent[chloroform/methanol(2:1)] treated groups, compared to the methanol treated group and control group(P<0.001). 2. 48 hours after treatment with each solvent, the differences in the values of transepidermal water loss in all groups were insignificant. 3. On electronmicroscopic examination, separation of intercellular lipid bilayers and a decrease in the numher of lamellar bodies were more severe in the chloroform treated and mixed solvent (chloroform/methanol(2:1)] treated groups than in the methanol treated group. Application of non-polar organic solvents, especially mixed solvents[chloroform/methanol(2:1)] resulted in an increase in transepidermal water loss and greater structural changes than with polar organic solvents.
CONCLUSION
Our results suggest that non-polar lipids may play a more important role in the protection of water vaporization of the stratum corneum lipids barrier than polar lipids.

Keyword

Straturn cornoum lipids harrier; Non-polar lipids; Polar lipids

MeSH Terms

Animals
Ceramides
Chloroform
Cholesterol
Fatty Acids, Nonesterified
Lipid Bilayers
Methanol
Mice
Mice, Hairless*
Microscopy, Electron
Osmium Tetroxide
Ruthenium
Skin*
Solvents*
Steam
Ceramides
Chloroform
Cholesterol
Fatty Acids, Nonesterified
Lipid Bilayers
Methanol
Osmium Tetroxide
Ruthenium
Solvents
Steam
Full Text Links
  • KJD
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr