ISSN:
1365-2133
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Background Barium sulphate, a stable inorganic material, has been used in contrast media and cosmetic products because of its stability. As a negative external electric potential accelerates the skin barrier repair after barrier disruption, we hypothesized that topical application of barium sulphate may affect the skin barrier recovery rate depending on its ζ potential.Objectives To investigate whether barium sulphate particles in aqueous solution have different ζ potentials depending on their surface structure, and to investigate the possible relation between ζ potential and skin barrier recovery rate.Methods Mice were subjected to tape stripping to disrupt barrier function, or were treated with acetone and kept in a dry environment to induce epidermal hyperplasia. They were then treated with different forms of barium sulphate, and barrier recovery was monitored by measurements of transepidermal water loss.Results There was a significant correlation between the barrier recovery rate and ζ potential of barium sulphate applied topically. Barium sulphate with a negative ζ potential significantly accelerated barrier recovery, but barium sulphate with a positive ζ potential did not accelerate or even delayed barrier repair. Barium sulphate with a negative ζ potential had an X-ray diffraction pattern different from that with a positive potential. The distribution of calcium in the epidermis was also influenced by the polarity of ζ potential.Conclusions These findings suggest a new pharmacological approach towards altering barrier function or epidermal hyperplasia with inorganic particles in healthy and diseased skin.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2133.2004.06085.x
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