title: Effect of polysorbate 85 on human skin.
abstract: Ten percent polysorbate 85, a nonionic surfactant, was applied on the upper arm of 15 healthy individuals under occlusive dressing daily for 4 days.  The other arm was similarly treated with the ointment base (white petrolatum USP) to provide the control area.  At the end of treatment, macroscopic observations indicated minor erythema in 11 cases and no visible changes were noted on the surfactant-treated areas of 4 persons or any of the control areas.  No definite histologic changes were observed by microscopic evaluations.  The results of biochemical assays, however, were more definitive. The content of the epidermal phospholipids was elevated within a range of 5 to 65 percent as a result of the treatment with polysorbate 85 preparation.  Radioactive tracer studies indicated higher rates of 32P incorporation into epidermal phospholipids, TCA-soluble, DNA and RNA fractions of the surfactant-treated skin.  Results resemble those that were documented in earlier studies with rabbit skin.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004890:Erythema / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009779:Occlusive Dressings; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000378:metabolism; D010761:Phosphorus Radioisotopes; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D010743:Phospholipids; D010761:Phosphorus Radioisotopes; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D010758:Phosphorus; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA