title: Evaluation of barrier creams - introduction and comparison of 3 in vivo methods.
abstract: Often barrier creams (BC) do not fulfil their protecting behaviour, even when promised by the manufacturers. Therefore, it is of great importance to develop standardized in vivo techniques to prove the potency of BC in humans. In the present study, 3 promising techniques for the analysis of BC were evaluated: laser scanning microscopy, laser doppler flowmetry, and the tape-stripping procedure. Sodium fluorescein and glycerol trinitrate acted as hydrophilic model-penetrating substances. By means of these methods, 3 different BC were tested and compared for their potency. The investigations showed that primarily the tape-stripping procedure and also the laser scanning microscopy are promising tools for the evaluation of BC. In contrast, the laser doppler flowmetry represents a less feasible technique. In addition, the evaluation of BC showed that Vaseline enfolds a 100% barrier on the skin surface for the penetration of a hydrophilic dye, whereas BC1 only partially showed a protective effect and BC2 exhibited almost no potency. In conclusion, it can be referred that laser scanning microscopy and the tape-stripping procedure represent 2 non-invasive in vivo techniques, which enable a fast investigation concerning the potency of BC.
authors.affiliation: Center of Experimental and Applied Cutaneous Physiology, Department of Dermatology, Charité- Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin 10117, Germany.
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rieger
authors.forename: Alexa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Teichmann
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schanzer
authors.forename: Wolfram
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sterry
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lademann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017453:Dermatitis, Irritant / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004643:Emollients / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods*; D008954:Models, Biological; D010539:Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D012016:Reference Values; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D053832:Surgical Tape
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D004643:Emollients