• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.1349-1360
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• 2019

Chronic exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, regarded as a major cause of extrinsic aging or photoaging characterized by wrinkle formation and skin dehydration, exerts adverse effects on skin by causing the overproduction of reactive oxygen species. Agastache rugosa Kuntze, known as Korean mint, possesses a wide spectrum of biological properties including anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, and anti-atherosclerosis. Previous studies have reported that A. rugosa protected human keratinocytes against UVB irradiation by restoring the anti-oxidant defense system. However, the anti-photoaging effect of A. rugosa extract (ARE) in animal models has not yet been evaluated. ARE was orally administered to hairless mice at doses of 100 or 250 mg/kg/day along with UVB exposure for 12 weeks. ARE histologically improved UVB-induced wrinkle formation, epidermal thickening, erythema, and hyperpigmentation. In addition, ARE recovered skin moisture by improving skin hydration and transepidermal water loss (TEWL). Along with this, ARE increased hyaluronic acid levels by upregulating HA synthase genes. ARE markedly increased the density of collagen and the amounts of hydroxypoline via two pathways. First, ARE significantly downregulated the mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteinases responsible for collagen degradation by inactivating the mitogen-activated protein kinase/activator protein 1 pathway. Second, ARE stimulated the transforming growth factor beta/Smad signaling, consequently raising the mRNA levels of collagen-related genes. In addition, ARE not only increased the mRNA expression of anti-oxidant enzymes but also decreased inflammatory cytokines by blocking the protein expression of nuclear factor kappa B. Collectively, our findings suggest that A. rugosa may be a potential preventive and therapeutic agent for photoaging.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.341-348
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• 2023

In this study, basic skin characteristic data was measured by measuring skin hydration, skin sebum secretion rate, skin melanin index, skin redness index, skin redness image analysis, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), and amount of stratum corneum before and after creating a temporary high temperature and low humidity environments targeting Korean women in their 20s to 50s. Stratum corneum by tape stripping was collected at each measurement and skin biomarkers including total protein content, carbonylated protein, neutral lipid, and lipid peroxidation were analyzed. Based on the results, the differences before and after creating a high temperature and low humidity environments were confirmed, the correlation between skin characteristics and skin biomarkers was confirmed, and a new skin index was created based on this. The new skin index can be used in product efficacy evaluation, and the possibility of constructing a new clinical study method and using skin biomarker discovery research through additional research was confirmed.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.180-193
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• 2014

Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is an inflammatory skin disease and regarded as a prototype of T-cell mediated delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions. Aroma Oil Complex (AOC) is composed of lavender true oil, chamomile roman oil and tea tree oil. This study was performed to assess the effects of AOC in a canine model of ACD. ACD was induced on the back of dogs induced by sensitization and repeated application by 2,4-dinitro-1-chlorobenzene (DNCB). Topical treatment of AOC was applied once a day for 8 days and skin biophysical parameters including transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin hydration, skin thickness and erythema index, were measured every two days during experimental periods. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry were performed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect. In skin biophysical parameters, TEWL, skin hydration, skin thickness and erythema index were significantly increased, with a maximum increase appeared on day 2 (p<0.05). After the completion of AOC treatment, skin biophysical parameters were significantly reached those of baseline in a time-dependent manner (p<0.05). In histopathology, marked increases of epidermal thicknesses were induced after DNCB challenge with numerous inflammatory cell infiltrations and edematous changes, decreases of connective tissue occupied regions in dermis. In addition, marked increases of cytokine - tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) and interferon-${\gamma}$ (IFN-${\gamma}$)-immunoreactivities in the dermis and of apoptotic markers - caspase-3 and PARP-immunoreactivities in the epidermis were observed in DNCB control as compared with intact control, respectively (p<0.01). The decrease of infiltrated inflammatory cells and related decreases of pro-inflammatory cytokine immunoreactivities were observed in AOC treated skin (p<0.01). Based on these findings, AOC may have anti-inflammatory and alleviatory effects in the allergic contact dermatitis.

• Proceedings of the SCSK Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.765-779
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• 2003

Physiological lipid mixtures comprised of cholesterol, ceramide and free fatty acid better maintain epidermal homeostasis and have been recently used for dermatoses induced by skin barrier damage, for example for atopic dermatitis and xerotic skin. Itching and dry atopic dermatitis of the skin may be related to altered skin barrier function. In a previous study, the use of multi-lamellar emulsion (MLE), which is a lipid mixtures containing cholesterol, pseudoceramide and free fatty acid, has been shown to accelerate the recovery of the epidermal permeability barrier. In this study, we assessed the efficacy of MLE compared with a currently used anti-itch moisturizer (AIM), the active ingredients of which are menthol and camphor, on barrier recovery after barrier disruption. To clarify the effect of MLE and AIM after acute barrier perturbation, we measured the relation between transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and the barrier recovery rate at 3, 6, 24, and 48 hours after tape stripping hairless mice and then observed changes in the stratum corneum (SC), including the intercellular lipid structure and secretion of lamellar bodies, by electron microscopy. MLE treated skin recover skin barrier function more rapidly, and AIM treated skin delayed barrier repair. Morphological changes in the epidermis, of MLE treated skin revealed well-conserved lipid multi-lamellar structures at 24 h after tape stripping, whereas AIM treated skin showed altered lamellar bilayers within the SC interstices at 48 h. In addition, MLE treated skin showed an increase in the number of LBs and in their secretions and a decrease in the number of SC layers versus AIM treated skin. These results suggest that MLE may accelerate the production of an epidermal permeability barrier in hairless mice by increasing the number and secretion of LB and improve the dryness and itch associated with an altered epidermal permeability barrier.

• 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 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.

• 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.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.297-307
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• 2017

Skin properties are influenced by a variety of internal or external factors. This study was conducted to investigate and compare the skin characteristics in Asian women. We evaluated values of skin physical parameters, and then assessed the correlations among the parameters, and regional differences in 1,500 Asian subjects in seven countries (Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, India, China, and South Korea). The values of transepidermal water loss (TEWL), pH, skin hydration, sebum content, skin sensitivity, elasticity, crow's feet wrinkles, and skin brightness were measured. New Delhi's women were observed to have a lower level of hydration in stratum corneum, sebum content, stinging scores, and darker skin color than others. Furthermore, their skin surface pH on all sites is the highest among seven countries. Vietnamese had the lowest pH values in skin surface. Korean and Chinese had generally higher elasticity and fewer wrinkles. Both the skin hydration and TEWL had positive correlations with the stinging test, and there was a negative correlation between wrinkles and stinging test. These results represent that there was no clear trend related to the area or region. Skin physical parameters should be studied along with understanding of regional differences and various factors (skin care habits, lifestyle and personal sensitivity).

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.354-361
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate the safety and anti-inflammatory effects of borage oil on dogs. Twelve dogs were fed on a commercial diet of 1% or 2% borage oil alone for twelve weeks. To assess safety, the changes in body weight, blood cells, and immune-related cytokines were analyzed. The results showed that there was no significant difference in body weight, complete blood count (CBC), and immunomodulatory cytokines between the dogs fed with diets without or with borage oil. Also, there was no change in transepidermal water loss (TEWL). However, the amount of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was reduced significantly in the dogs fed on a borage oil diet. In summary, the addition of borage oil to pet food did not result in any significant health issues. Moreover, borage oil could contribute to a reduction in cell damage in aged dogs although it did not decrease TEWL. Therefore, borage oil could be safe for use in pet foods.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.330-339
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• 2008

Ceramide, cholesterol and free fatty acids are the major intercellular lipids, maintaining the integrity of the skin barrier. However, the roles of these lipids in canine skin barrier function are little known. The aim of this study was to evaluate the repairing effects of 2% ceramide (CER), 2% cholesterol (CHO), 2% linoleic acid (LIN) and 2% intercellular lipid mixture (ILM) on damaged canine skin barrier by 1.25% sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS). Transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin hydration, skin pH and skin thickness were assessed. Histological profiles and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) profiles were assessed on day 12. SLS effectively induced the canine skin barrier damage. TEWL was significantly decreased by topical application of CER and ILM in SLS and vehicle-treated skin on day 8 and 12, respectively (p < 0.05, p < 0.0 I). By end of the experiment all lipids significantly decreased the TEWL as compared with SLS and vehicle control, but CER and ILM more significantly decreased the TEWL than UN and CHO, respectively (p < 0.01). Skin hydration was significantly increased by CER and ILM during experimental periods (p < 0.01). Skin pH was significantly decreased by CER, LIN and ILM. In histological profiles, the thickness of the stratum corneum (SC) was significantly increased by the SC lipids as compared with vehicle and SLS (p < 0.01). Especially, CER and ILM showed more prominent improvement of barrier recovery. In TEM of the SC, SLS induced exfoliations of corneodesmosomes in the SC, and CER and ILM effectively protected exfoliations of corneodesmosomes on SLS-damaged canine skin. These results indicated that topical application of CER and ILM dramatically improved damaged-skin barrier function by SLS. Also, it was considered that the use of CER or ILM was recommended for the management of skin barrier dysfunction by irritant and inflammatory skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis.