Action spectrum of sun skin damage documented

Newcastle: Scientists document for the first time the DNA damage which can occur to skin across the full range of ultraviolet radiation from the sun. As pharmacists warn that the public is confused by sunscreen labelling, scientists at Newcastle University have detailed the DNA damage which can occur to skin across the full range of ultraviolet radiation providing an invaluable tool for sun-protection and the manufacturers of sunscreen. Testing on human skin cell lines, this study published today in The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, documents the action spectrum of ultraviolet damage in cells derived from both the upper layer (dermis) and lower layer (epidermis) of the skin.

Tropical skin disease survey reveals global hotspots

UNSW: The first ever international review of scabies and impetigo has indentified global hotspots and revealed children are disproportionately affected by the debilitating infectious conditions. The systematic review, led by UNSW’s Kirby Institute with collaborators, analysed findings from 48 surveys, mostly from developing countries in the Pacific, Latin America and Africa. The results were published today in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal.

Stem cell therapy for inherited skin blistering

London: Promising results from a trial of a new stem-cell based therapy for a rare and debilitating skin condition have been published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. The therapy, involving infusions of stem cells, was found to provide pain relief and to reduce the severity of this skin condition for which no cure currently exists. RDEB (recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa) is a painful skin disease in which very minor skin injury leads to blisters and poorly healing wounds. About 1,000 people in the UK live with RDEB.

Barberry for treatment of pigment-related skin problems

Korea: Chung-An researchers investigated the activities of Berberis vulgaris extract in melanoma cells. They found out that berberine, a barberry plant alkaloid, aids in skin whitening by inhibiting the activity of tyrosinase, the enzyme responsible for melanin synthesis. The researchers also demonstrated that berberine is more effective than arbutin in suppressing the production of melanin. “If the effectiveness and safety of berberine is proved through clinical trials, berberine would become one of the best solutions to pigment-related skin problems caused by UV rays“, professor Kim said. The research, sponsored by the Rural Development Administration Korea, was published in the February issue of the International Journal of Molecular Medicine, a peer-reviewed journal devoted to the publication of high quality studies related to the molecular mechanisms of human disease. 

 

An antihypertensive drug improves corticosteroid creams for skin treatments

INSERM: Basic research on blood pressure has led researchers from Inserm to obtain unexpected results: drugs used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure) reduce side effects from corticosteroid-based creams used to treat certain skin diseases. This work is published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.