DEVELOPMENT OF AN IN VITRO METHOD FOR SCREENING ANTI-IRRITANTS.

The development of an in vitro method for testing unknown anti-irritant ingredients can provide preliminary estimate of material safety and it is fast and economical before testing on humans. We utilized the MatTek EpiDerm skin model and a primary culture of keratinocytes to screen a variety of anti-irritants. EpiDerm partially mimics human skin morphologically and biochemically, and therefore, it was possible to test anti-irritants in the product. Applying known irritants like sodium lauryl sulfate, lactic acid and UV light to EpiDerm or keratinocytes resulted in inhibition of mitochondrial enzyme activity and release of interleukins and prostaglandins. Cytokines, prostaglandins and mitochondrial enzyme MTT assays were conducted for anti-irritant screening following pre-application of anti-irritant or an otherwise potentially irritating formula which also contained an anti-irritant. Anti-irritants such as green tea and natural extracts reduced the release of cytokines and prostaglandin and protected mitochondrial enzyme. Clinical data on the effect of green tea and natural extracts on SLS and lactic acid irritation showed good agreement with the in vitro tests.

Anti-irritants, EpiDerm, Green tea, IL-1a, IL-8, Lactic acid, MTT, MTT ET-50 tissue viability assay, MTT assay, Natural extracts, PGE-2, Prostaglandin E-2, SLS, Sodium lauryl sulfate, UV light, Ultraviolet radiation (UV)