Orange Roughy Oil for Sensitive Skin and Other Topics: Literature Findings

By: Charles Fox, Independent Consultant

Posted: March 31, 2009, from the April 2009 issue of Cosmetics & Toiletries.

This month’s survey of recent patent and research literature describes moneymaking ideas for personal care product development including the influence of filaggrin on skin moisture, lotus extract for anticellulite and orange roughy oil for sensitive skin, among others.

Skin and Skin Care
Filaggrin’s role in skin moisture: Kezic et al. have reported that loss-of-function mutations in the filaggrin gene lead to a reduced level of natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the stratum corneum (SC).¹ Since filaggrin (FLG) is the precursor protein for amino acid-derived components of the NMF, the researchers hypothesized that genetic carriers of FLG-null mutations would show reduced levels of NMF in the SC.

A reference spectrum of NMF was first constructed by superimposing the spectra of pyrrolidone-5-carboxylic acid, ornithine, serine, proline, glycine, histidine and alanine. The researchers then screened 149 participants and 10 atopic dermatitis (AD) patients for four FLG mutations, including R501X, 2282del4, R2447X and S3247X. The study, including 16 carriers of an FLG mutation, was divided into one group of 12 female and four male participants, and another group of 23 individuals with wild type in respect to these mutations, broken into 15 female and eight male participants. Of the 16 mutation carriers, five were heterozygous for R5O1X, eight were heterozygous for 2282del4, and one was heterozygous for R2447X. The mean age of the carrier group was 33 years, comparable with that of non-carriers, with a mean age of 30.

The prevalence of AD history and active AD was found to be higher in carriers of an FLG mutation. Further, all carriers and 11 non-carriers reported dry skin. The study demonstrated that carriers of FLG-null mutations had significantly reduced levels of NMF in the SC and that FLG carriers with a history of AD had significantly lower NMF levels than non-carriers with a history of AD (P < 0.0001). In addition to reduced levels of NMF, carriers of FLG mutations showed higher transepidermal water loss than non-carriers.

Antioxidant compositions: The Lion Corp. has disclosed antioxidants containing carotenes, tocopherols or tocotrienol and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), in addition to compositions containing them.² The antioxidants, which inhibit the formation of lipid peroxides and prevent the formation of wrinkles, contain palm oil carotenes, lycopene and/or lutein; tocopherol and/or tocotrienol; and CoQ10 as active ingredients. A composition containing 39% w/w palm oil carotene, 8% tocotrienol, 32% tocopherol and 1% CoQ10 mmol/L showed 78% inhibition of lipid peroxide formation from linoleic acid in the presence of a radical generator in vitro. Soft capsules were formulated.