Antipollution skin protection - a new paradigm and its demonstration on two active compounds

Background: Urban pollution is a major source of concern for human health and is a complex of many environmental factors. The topical exposure to pollution activates cutaneous stress. Objective: In this study, we tested the antipollution protection of two active components: Dead Sea minerals (Dead Sea mineral-rich water [DSW]) and anionic polysaccharide (PolluStop (R) [PS]). Materials and methods: Two representative pollution models were studied using reconstructed epidermis: 1) mixture of pollutants (MOP) containing heavy metals and atmospheric particulate matter and 2) ozone exposure. DSW and PS were topically applied alone or in combination, and their protection against pollution was assessed by testing the levels of the inflammation markers interleukin 1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Results: MOP exposure induced IL-1 alpha release, which was attenuated following pre-application with DSW and PS alone or in combination. Ozone exposure induced IL-1 alpha and PGE2 release. Pre-application with DSW or PS alone did not inhibit IL-1 alpha and PGE2 overproduction. Only when DSW and PS were mixed together, inhibition of these inflammatory markers was observed. Conclusion: The observations reveal the potential use of active agents in combination for a selective mode of protection from urban pollution. This is because many active materials cannot solely provide a broad protection against different types of pollutants. This strategy might be beneficial for future antipollution regimen formulated in both pharmaceutical and cosmetic products.