• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.321-326
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• 2012

Recent studies have revealed that collagen peptide plays a protective role on skin by improving the activity of antioxidants and acts as an inducer of skin regeneration. To evaluate the efficacy of low molecular weight collagen peptide for skin recovery after non-ablative 1550 nm fractional photothermolysis laser. 10 volunteers were randomly divided into two groups. Both control and experimental groups received fractional photothermolysis treatment. In the experimental group, 5 subjects received oral collagen peptide 1,000 mg/day for 8 weeks. Before and after the treatment, we measured elastic recovery of skin, transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and erythema index (EI) for each patients. The evaluation of clinical results showed that elastic recovery of skin is higher in the experimental group than the control group (p < 0.05). TEWL have no significancy between two groups and erythema rapidly disappeared in the experimental group. On the quartile grading scale, the mean patient satisfaction 4 weeks after the fractional photothermolysis treatment was 2.0 in experimental group and 1.2 in control group. The low molecular weight collagen peptide appears to be an effective conservative therapy for skin recovery after non-ablative 1550 nm fractional photothermolysis treatment.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.75-82
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• 2012

Natural moisturizing factors (NMFs) are hydrophilic and water-soluble components in stratum corneum of the skin. NMFs absorb water from outer environment and enhance the water-holding capacity of stratum corneum and thereby, prevent the dryness and increase flexibility and plasticity of skin. NMFs are mainly composed of amino acids and their metabolites that are produced from the degradation of filaggrin. Here we established a simultaneous quantification method for 22 amino acids in tape-stripped stratum corneum samples using UPLC-PDA. With this method, we analyzed amino acid contents from tape-stripped stratum corneum samples of forearm and forehead regions from 15 healthy volunteers. Amino acid contents of inner (or upper) region were higher than outer (or lower) region of stratum corneum. Amino acid contents of stratum corneum of forearm were higher by 1.5 fold than forehead region. Of note, total amino acid contents were significantly and inversely correlated with trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL), an index for skin barrier function. Especially, Ser, Glu, Gly, Ala and Thr were determined to positively affect skin mositurizing activities. In conclusion, we could demonstrate that amino acid contents of stratum corneum are closely linked with skin barrier and moisturizing function, providing an important and fundamental methodology for the study of amino acids in skin physiology.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.799-807
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• 2020

Background: The skin acts as a barrier to protect organisms against harmful exogenous agents. Compound K (CK) is an active metabolite of ginsenoside Rb1, Rb2 and Rc, and researchers have focused on its skin protective efficacy. In this study, we hypothesized that increased expression of the serine protease inhibitor Kazal type-5 (SPINK5) may improve skin barrier function. Methods: We screened several ginsenosides to increase SPINK5 gene promoter activity using a transactivation assay and found that CK can increase SPINK5 expression. To investigate the protective effect of CK on the skin barrier, RT-PCR and Western blotting were performed to investigate the expression levels of SPINK5, kallikrein 5 (KLK5), KLK7 and PAR2 in UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells. Measurement of transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and histological changes associated with the skin barrier were performed in a UVB-irradiated mouse model and a 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB)-induced atopic dermatitis-like model. Results: CK treatment increased the expression of SPINK5 and decreased the expression of its downstream genes, such as KLKs and PAR2. In the UVB-irradiated mouse model and the DNCB-induced atopic dermatitis model, CK restored increased TEWL and decreased hydration and epidermal hyperplasia. In addition, CK normalized the reduced SPINK5 expression caused by UVB or DNCB, thereby restoring the expression of the proteins involved in desquamation to a level similar to normal. Conclusions: Our data showed that CK contributes to improving skin-barrier function in UVB-irradiated and DNCB-induced atopic dermatitis-like models through SPINK5. These results suggest that therapeutic attempts with CK might be useful in treating barrier-disrupted diseases.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.373-380
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• 2019

There are many differences in tran-epidermal water loss (TEWL), skin water contents, and skin elasticity, etc between face and forearm skin. In particular, our previous studies showed that elasticity of face skin was significantly differed from forearm depending on full hydration. So, we have studied the surface properties of corneocyte using atomic force microscopy (AFM), assuming that the differences between face and forearm skin would be associated with the surface properties of corneocyte. The surface roughness of corneocyte and villus-like projections (VPs) were measured. Furthermore, qualitative comparison among the surface of face, forearm, and lip corneocyte was performed. Corneocytes were collected by tape-stripping on both face and forearm of 8 volunteers, and the bottom surface of corneocytes were measured at 40 ㎛ × 40 ㎛ using AFM. Results showed that the lower surface roughness of face corneocytes was 388.34 ± 86.189 nm, and that of forearm corneocytes was 662.27 ± 224.257 nm, which confirmed that the lower surface of forearm corneocytes was more rough than that of face corneocytes (p < 0.001). Compared with the amount of VPs, lip corneocytes were the highest followed by face corneocytes, and forearm corneocytes were the lowest. From these results, it is conclued that the surface properties of corneocytes are somewhat involved in the property differences between the face and the forearm skin and VPs can be a useful parameter for the study of corneocyte by site. In addition, AFM is a very useful device for the comparative study of nano-structural differences on the surface of corneocytes. More studies can lead to develop a new evaluation method of corneocytes.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.195-204
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• 2008

This study was intended to identify the effectiveness of Lithospermum erythrorhizon in the UVB-irradiated mouse skin. The C57BL mice were divided into three groups; the control group, the UVB irradiated group(UVB group), and the group treated with Lithospermum erythrorhizon extracts after UVB irradiation(UVB+Le group). 10 mouses were collected and sacrificed at 24 hrs, 48 hrs, 72 hrs, 120 hrs, and 168 hrs, respectively. In the result, the transepidermal water loss (TEWL) was decreased the UVB+Le group than UVB groups by time. At the 168 hrs group was significantly lower(p<0.05). In the result, the melanin value was decreased in the UVB+Le group than UVB group, but meaningless(p>0.05). In the result of erythema index, the UVB+Le group was meaningfully lower at 24 hrs, 48 hrs, and 72 hrs group than UVB group(p<0.05). In the result of scanning electron micrograph observation, the UVB+Le group was allevited swelling than UVB group at the 24 hrs, formation of the scab at the 48 hrs, regular plate shap at the 72 hrs, new keratin observated at the 120 hrs partially, and fine fiber covered epidermis surface at the 168 hrs. In the result of transmission electron micrograph observation, the UVB+Le group was facilitation of increased lamellar bodies and reformation lamellar bodies than UVB group at the all groups. Almost all the structures were recovered at the 160 hrs group. In conclusion, Lithospermum erythrorhizon extracts may recovery on the UVB-irradiated mouse skin.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.686-690
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• 2008

Recent research has shown that curcumin has beneficial effects in a variety of skin diseases, including scleroderma, psoriasis, and skin cancer. In this study, we assessed the effects of curcumin on epidermal permeability barrier function in vivo and in vitro. In order to evaluate the effects of curcumin on epidermal permeability barrier function in vivo, hairless rats were exposed to UVB irradiation, and curcumin was administered orally at a dosage of 150 mg/kg per day for 8 weeks. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and epidermal thickness were measured at the end of the experiment. The expression of filaggrin, a marker of keratinocyte differentiation, and serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT), a marker of the formation of the stratum corneum lipid barrier, in human HaCat keratinocytes were analyzed. The in vivo results showed that an 8 week administration of curcumin markedly prevented the UVB-induced increase in TEWL. The UV-induced increase in epidermal thickness was also reduced significantly by curcumin treatment. The in vitro results demonstrated the concentration-dependent effects of curcumin on the expression of both filaggrin and SPT in HaCat cells, reflecting the notion that curcumin can induce epidermal keratinocyte differentiation and can improve the recovery of skin barrier functions. These results show that curcumin is a promising candidate for the improvement of epidermal permeability barrier function.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.197-204
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• 2011

To investigate the alleviative effect of white tea water extract on the inflammation and skin barrier damage, skin aging animal model was produced by the irradiation of UVB to the backs of hairless mice for 12 weeks. And then experimental materials were applied topically for 4 weeks. At the 28th day of experiment, positive control (PC, 0.01% retinoic acid treatment) and experimental groups (E1, 1% white tea water extract treatment; E2, 2% white tea water extract treatment) had significantly (p<0.001) lower values of both skin erythema index and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) than the control (C, saline treatment) group. The appearance of mast cell and the degree of its degranulation in dermal and subcutaneous layers were remarkably reduced in E1 and E2 groups compared to the C group. It is found that white tea water extract is effective in skin barrier damage and inflammation in hairless mouse.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.315-321
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• 2010

In this study, we investigated the antibacterial activity and the skin moisturizing effect of cream contaning Cedrela sinensis A. Juss shoots extracts. MIC values of ethyl acetate fraction from Cedrela sinensis A. Juss shoots extracts on P. acnes and S. aureus were 0.13 %, 0.03% respectively and P. ovale and E. coli were 0.25 % equally. The results showed that the antibacterial activity of the ethyl acetate fraction on P. acnes and S. aureus were higher than the methyl paraben. The cream containing the ethyl acetate fraction from Cedrela sinensis A. Juss shoots extracts was formulated and its skin moisturizing effect was evaluated in a clinical trial. The skin hydration and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) were investigated after topical application of the cream. The skin hydrating effect of the cream containing Cedrela sinensis A. Juss shoots extract was 10 ~ 15 % higher than the placebo cream, and transepidermal water loss was decreased to 6.7 g/$m^2h$ in the subjects applied with cream containing the ethyl acetate fraction of Cedrela sinensis A. Juss shoots extracts. These results indicate that ethyl acetate fraction from Cedrela sinensis A. Juss shoots extracts could be applicable to new functional antibacterial cosmetics.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.99-104
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• 2007

The skin barrier function is one of the vital functions. Horny layer and epidermis among various skin layers play an important role in protecting body from environmental insults. Stratum corneum is completely formed by differentiation processes from the basal layer and newly formed corneocytes push the older ones from skin surface. In this study we investigated changes of various parameters - capacitance, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), pH and amount of removed corneocytes - according to the stratum corneum's depth. We removed the stratum corneum using tape stripping technique. We found that uppermost stratum corneum play an important role in skin surface moisturization and lower stratum corneum in protecting transepidermal water loss. In addition, skin pH is more acidic than surface pH. In the stratum corneum, skin pH is mote acidic in the deeper layer. Furthermore amount of removed corneocyte is also decreased according to depth because of stronger cell-cell union strength. From these results we suggest that stratum corneum has different characteristics depending on their position.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.43-50
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• 2008

Ceramides, a constituent of stratum corneum lipids, play a crucial role in the formation and maintenance of the epidermal permeability barrier. As in many other skin disorders, atopic dermatitis and psoriasis show decrease and transformation of the ceramides. The application of ceramide has been demonstrated to be efficient in the repair of these skin disorders. Nevertheless, natural ceramides are still too expensive and small in quantity to be used as a cosmetic ingredient. Although a lot of pseudo-ceramides have been developed and on the market until now, those pseudo-ceramides did not fully meet the consumer's needs, therefore, there is still a demand for a novel pseudo-ceramides. We synthesized a novel pseudo-ceramide BPC-16 from 2-(2-amino-ethylamino)-ethanol(AEEA), which was characterized by structures having both amide bonds and hydroxyl groups as hydrophilic units, as well as two long alkyl chains. We formulated emulsion with BPC-16, cholesterol, stearic acid, and other components to make an emulsion. These emulsion showed a typical optical anisotropy on cross-polarized microscopy. This 'Maltese cross' appearance is a characteristic figure observed in concentric lamellar emulsion under cross-polarized microscopy. In cytotoxicity assay using MTT in monolayer and three dimension(3D) cell culture, a BPC-16 showed only negligible cytotoxicity up to the effective concentration for barrier repair and moisturization(less than 10 mM). In the measurement of TEWL, this BPC-16 showed significant recovery of water-retaining properties when it was topically applied to either SDS-induced dry skin or normal skin compared to that of base cream. This novel pseudo-ceramide BPC-16 showed as effective in skin barrier repair and moisturization as natural ceramides.