title: Hazards of urocanic acid as a cosmetic ingredient.
abstract: Certain commercially available cosmetic products have been found to contain the ingredient urocanic acid. We have shown that the solar irradiation in vitro of one such lotion resulted in the formation of cis urocanic acid. The irradiated lotion, when applied topically to the skin of hairless mice, systemically suppressed the normal contact hypersensitivity reaction to 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene by 68%. In addition, mice exposed to a minimally erythemal dose of ultraviolet B (280-320 nm) radiation, normally sub-immunosuppressive, showed a 56% suppression of the contact hypersensitivity reaction if they were irradiated through the topically applied cosmetic lotion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: V E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Reeve
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003358:Cosmetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D003877:Dermatitis, Contact / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008812:Mice, Hairless; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000528:radiation effects; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects; D014560:Urocanic Acid / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D003358:Cosmetics; D014560:Urocanic Acid