Mediating Shaving Irritation

By: David J. Moore, Steven Orofino and Patrick Bowers, International Specialty Products

Posted: February 2, 2006, from the February 2006 issue of Cosmetics & Toiletries.

Tocopheryl phosphates exert biological effects, such as mediating the signs of skin irritation. A complexed form, disodium lauriminodiproprionate tocopheryl phosphates, has been designed for formulation and delivery in skin care products for sensitive skin. This article shows the mediating effects of the complexed form on sensitive skin irritated during shaving.

Tocopheryl phosphate recently has been identified as a naturally occurring α-tocopherol derivative and has been detected in several human tissues and many plants and foods.1,2 Although it remains to be determined whether tocopheryl phosphate (see sidebar) is primarily a storage form of α-tocopherol, or if the phosphorylated molecule is an active signaling molecule, it is clear that tocopheryl phosphate has bio-functional activity as an antioxidant and in modulation of cellular inflammation pathways.

A recent publication addresses, and supports, the hypothesis that tocopheryl phosphate is a signaling molecule.2 However, what is quite clear from published antioxidant studies is that tocopheryl phosphate has significant and superior biological activity compared to α-tocopherol and other chemically stabilized tocopherol derivatives such as vitamin E acetate and vitamin E succinate. This has been demonstrated in recent studies by Shizuko Kobayashi, Ph.D., at the Kyoritsu College of Pharmacy in Tokyo and by Aalt Bast, Ph.D., at Vrije University Medical Center in Amsterdam. 

This is only an excerpt of the full article that appeared in Cosmetics & Toiletries, but you can purchase the full-text version.