4th Annual Meeting of the Society for Dermopharmacy e.V. in Freiburg on May 24, 2000

Press Releases

In brief- news from the 4th annual meeting of the Society for Dermopharmacy
New hair restorer introduced in the market starting September 2000
Cortisone-free treatment of inflammatory skin diseases
Mild skin cleaning likewise important
Skin models simulate tests at humans
Active substances in cosmetics protect from skin ageing

Press photos

Remedy for bald head
Cosmetics Research
Active substances against wrinkles

The interview partners at the press conference were:

Priv. Doz. Dr. med. Hans Wolff (Dermatologische Klinik and Poliklinik of the Ludwigs-Maximiliams-University Munich)
Prof. Dr. med. Ulrich Paul Simon Mrowietz (Dermatologische Klinik of the University Kiel)
Dr. Joachim Kresken (Pharmacist in Viersen and Chairman of the Society for Dermopharmacy)
Dr. Thomas Förster (Henkel KGaA, Düsseldorf)
Ursula Kindl (Pharmacist in Baldham Member of the Board of the Society for Dermopharmacy)

Moderation:

Kaspar Müller-Bringmann (Medienbüro Müller Bringmann)

In brief

New remedy for hereditary alopecia

A new medicament for local treatment of the androgenetic alopecia, the hereditary hair loss, has been presented by lecturer Dr. med. Hans Wolff from the Dermatologische Klinik und Poliklinik (Dermatologic Clinic and Outpatient Department) of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich on the occasion of the Society's 4th Annual Meeting on 23 and 24 May in Freiburg. The preparation's name is Regaine™ solution and it will be sold on prescription in Germany starting September of this year. This preparation contains the active substance Minoxidil in a five percent concentration. The preparation's field of application will be limited to the male androgenetic alopecia for the time being. As Wolff explained in Freiburg, the new hair restorer distinguishes mainly from other locally applicable preparations by the fact that its effectiveness has been unequivocally proven in various placebo-controlled double-blind studies. Although Minoxidil being a hypotensive substance, the preparation has no significant influence on the blood pressure.

Cortisone-free treatment of skin inflammations

Tanning agents have been applied for centuries for the treatment of skin diseases. In former times tanning agents of natural origin had been exclusively used, e.g. bark extracts; in the meantime they have been replaced to a large extent by chemically clearly defined, synthetically produced tanning agents. Their fields of application are among others minor forms of eczema, skin irritations as sun burns, chickenpox and shingles, weeping dermatoses as well as wound treatment above all in the genito-anal sector. Current scientific examinations for the clearing-up of the effectivity mechanism of the synthetic tanning agent Tamol PP have shown that "tanning" properties can only be achieved by very high, medicinal not customary concentrations. As professor Dr. med. Ulrich Mrowietz, dermatologist at the University clinics in Kiel explained, its most important effect is the inhibition of proteolytical enzymes which are of importance regarding inflammatory reactions of the skin. Furthermore, latest examinations have shown that Tamol PP inhibits the stimulated release of histamines from human mast cells. This property can explain the clinical observation of the itch-soothing effect of synthetic tanning agents and underlines the importance of these substances as cortisone-free alternatives for the treatment of minor forms of inflammatory skin diseases.

Skin protection at the place of work has to be intensified

Skin is exposed to several types of stress at the place of work. Regular contact with potential skin irritating or allergizing working substances may have a damaging effect on the skin barrier especially at hands and as a consequence thereof entail the occurrence of eczema. The chairman of the Gesellschaft für Dermopharmazie e.V. (Society for Dermopharmacy), pharmacist Dr. Joachim Kresken, reported of statements according to which costs of more than a billion marks accrue per year by occupational skin diseases which have to be born by employers, accident insurance bodies and health insurance companies. The persons concerned may have to face considerable social problems caused by the loss of working place or professional retraining measures. All these reasons give cause to generate a stronger awareness for prevention. Now it is for the employers to introduce a skin protection management system in their respective companies. This comprises besides direct skin protection and regenerating skin care measures also the realization of mild skin cleaning. Aggressive or incorrectly applied strong skin cleaners lead to dehydration and degreasing of the horny layer of epidermis and thus favor the damaging of the skin barrier. In order to prevent this consequence, skin cleaners having a soiling-adequate cleaning effect and at the same time optimal skin tolerability are to be used.

Research for cosmetics at skin models

Dr. Thomas Förster of Henkel, Duesseldorf, is head of a group of interdisciplinary research scientists which works on the "deciphering" of the ageing process of human skin. He presented the in-vitro skin models developed for this purpose at the 4th annual meeting of the Gesellschaft für Dermopharmazie e.V. (Society for Dermopharmacy ) in Freiburg on 23 and 24 May. "Henkel's skin equivalent", the internal name of the skin model, contains all general skin layers (dermis, epidermis and horny layer of epidermis) and has thus the identical structure of the natural human skin.

The active ingredients can be applied under realistic conditions for instance in a cream or gel basis and examined as to their effectiveness. For a selected phytokinin from the soy plant an increase of the collagen synthesis by 37 percent could be proven. The subsequent dermatologic analysis has impressively confirmed the results of the in-vitro skin model in the case of the examined phytokinin: after a two-week application of a cream containing phytokinin, the content of collagen has increased by 29 percent on average. In addition, wrinkles have been visibly reduced.

Active substances in cosmetics protect from skin ageing

The protection from environmentally caused damages and biological ageing processes in skin gain increasingly importance in the cosmetic product development. As exterior barrier of the body, skin is exposed to a multitude of environmental influences as UV-radiation, ozone and cigarette smoke. Free radicals are caused by these influences which on their part cause oxidative stress in skin. The oxidative stress is one of the reasons for producing pathological processes as light-induced skin ageing and the development of skin cancer. In order to protect the skin from free radicals, antioxidative protection mechanisms are indispensable. Elements of non-enzymatic protection systems are the vitamines C and E. Coenzyme Q10 (Ubiquinon) and its reduced form (Ubiquinol) act as antioxidants and transmissioners of electrons at the interior mitochondrial membrane. In general the vitamines C and E as well as the coenzyme Q10 can be supplemented by topical application. Topically applied vitamin E enhances the natural UV-protection of the skin and has a positive effect on skin smoothness and skin humidity. Both parameters have a strong link with the functioning principle of the skin barrier. It could be proven for topically applied coenzyme Q10 that it inhibits in-vitro and in-vivo the formation of free radicals. In addition, the results of biophysical and clinical studies supply evidence for the fact that the wrinkle depth of the facial skin can be reduced by the long-term application of creams containing coenzyme Q10.

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Local treatment of the androgenetic alopecia

New hair restorer introduced in the market starting September 2000

Freiburg - A new medicament for the local treatment of the androgenetic alopecia, the hereditary hair loss has been presented by lecturer Dr. med. Hans Wolff of the Dermatologische Klinik und Poliklinik (Dermatologic Clinic and Outdoor Department) of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität of Munich at the 4th Annual Meeting of the Gesellschaft für Dermopharmazie e.V. (Society for Dermopharmacy) in Freiburg on 23 and 24 May 2000. The preparation's name is Regaineâ solution, it contains the active substance Minoxidil in a five-percent concentration and will be available on prescription in Germany starting September. The field of application of the preparation will be for the present limited to the male androgenetic alopecia.

As Wolff explained, the new hair restorer mainly distinguishes from other locally applicable preparations by the fact that its effectiveness has been unequivocally proven in numerous placebo-controlled double-blind studies. In a large American multicenter-study comprising altogether 393 men at the age of 18 to 49 years a five- and two-percent solution have been clinically tested in comparison to a a placebo solution for a period of one year (application: one milliliter twice a day)..

Assessment criterion for the effectiveness of the test preparations has been the number of strong terminal hair on a test area of one square centimeter. This number has increased by 30 hair on average after 8 weeks when applying the five-percent solution, after 16 weeks by 35 and after 48 weeks by 19 hair compared with the initial findings. This result shows that the five-percent solution is more effective (increase by 25, 29, respectively 13 hair) and the latter still more effective than the placebo-solution (increase by 14, 15 respectively four hair).

When making a judgment concerning the systemic side effects no significant differences could be detected between the three test preparations regarding blood pressure, pulse, body weight, electrocardiogram, blood count, libido and potency. Due to the fact that Minoxidil is a hypotensive substance, the Minoxodil serum level have been equally measured. For the group treated with the two (0,7 ng/ml) as well as for the group treated with the five-percent Minoxidil solution (2,2 ng/ml) they have been significantly under the serum concentration (21,7 ng/ml) for which a pulse und blood pressure change is measurable at all. As local side effects a reddening and itching of the scalp appeared occasionally.

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Latest findings about synthetic tanning agents

Cortisone-free treatment of inflammatory skin diseases

Freiburg - one of the numerous objectives of the Gesellschaft für Dermopharmazie e.V. (Society for Dermopharmacy) is the spreading of latest findings in the field of prevention and treatment of skin diseases. Correspondingly several medicaments recently introduced in the dermatotherapy as well as latest findings about long-known dermatologic active agents have been presented at the GD's 4th annual meeting in Freiburg on 23 and 24 May 2000. A major issue have been the tanning agents which have already been used for centuries for the treatment of skin diseases.

In former times exclusively tanning agents of natural origin had been used for therapeutical purposes, as for instance bark extracts. The effect of these complex substance mixtures should be based on a protein precipitation, hence a "tanning" of the skin and thus generate an artificial barrier against infections and skin inflammations.

In the meantime mainly chemically clearly defined, synthetically produced tanning agents are applied in the dermatatological local therapy which have proven their effectiveness in numerous clinical applications. Some of the fields of application are: light forms of eczema diseases, skin irritations as sunburns, chickenpox and shingles, oozing dermatoses as well as wound treatment mainly in the genito-anal sector. The corresponding ready-to-use drugs are available in different bases: cream, fat cream, lotio, hydrogel, powder and bath preparations - and allow thus a treatment according to the various disease stages in relation to the localization in the body.

Current investigations concerning the assessment of the effectiveness mechanisms of the synthetic tanning agent Tamol PP have shown that "tanning" properties can only be obtained by very high, medicinal not customary concentrations. As professor Dr. med. Ulrich Mrowietz, dermatologist at the University Clinics in Kiel, explained, Tamol PP is a substance which is effective in pharmacological concentrations.

Their most important effect is the inhibition of proteolytic enzymes which play a part for inflammatory skin reactions. Furthermore, latest findings have shown that Tamol PP inhibits the stimulated release of histamine from human mast cells. This property can explain the clinical observation of the effect of the tanning agents to soothe itches and supports the importance of these substances as cortisone-free alternatives for the treatment of lighter forms of inflammatory skin diseases.

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Skin protection at the place of work

Mild skin cleaning likewise important

Freiburg - Skin protection at the place of work was one of the issues of the 4th Annual Meeting of the Gesellschaft für Dermopharmazie e.V. (Society for Dermopharmacy) in Freiburg on 23 and 24 May 2000. As the society's chairman, pharmacist Dr. Joachim Kresken, Viersen, explained in a press conversation, skin is exposed to numerous strains. Regular contacts to potentially skin irritating or allergizing working substances can entail a damaging of the skin barrier especially at hands and as a consequence thereof cumulative-toxical respectively allergic contact eczema may come into being.

Kresken reported of assessments according to which costs of more than a billion marks accrue from occupational skin diseases. These costs are born by employers, accident insurance bodies and health insurance funds. The persons concerned can suffer from considerable social problems caused by the loss of working place or professional retraining measures. The reasons mentioned have to be taken into consideration in order to create an increased awareness for prevention. Employers therefore are asked to introduce a skin protection management system in their respective firms.

A complete skin prevention program includes besides direct skin protection and regenerating skin care measures also the realization of a mild skin cleaning. Aggressive or incorrectly applied strong skin cleaning products lead to dehydration and degreasing of the horny layer and entail thus the damaging of the skin barrier. In order to prevent this consequence, skin cleaning products with a soiling-adequate cleaning effect and at the same time having the best possible skin tolerance should be used.

Skin cleaning products are available to remove heavy soiling, e.g. by waste oil, grease, adhesives or smuts. They contain besides surfactants a rubbing agent and partly also an organic solvent. Since in general a major risk potential for skin irritations emanates from these components, dermatological oriented product manufacturers try to achieve a comparable cleaning effect by using other substances. Kresken mentioned as example a natural oil which is used in combination with mild surfactants as replacement for solvents in hand cleaners containing rubbing agents. Finally in many cases it can be done without. Pasty hand cleaners without scratching and rubbing effects are especially recommendable from a dermopharmaceutical point of view.

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Innovation in cosmetical research

Skin Models simulate Tests at Humans

Freiburg - Dr. Thomas Förster of Henkel in Duesseldorf is head of an interdisciplinary research group which is analyzing the ageing process of human skin. He presented the in-vitro models developed for this purpose at the 4th Annual Meeting of the Gesellschaft für Dermopharmazie e.V. (Society for Dermopharmacy) in Freiburg on 23 and 24 May 2000. Furthermore, he reported about the latest investigation results concerning cosmetical active agents and formulations subject to analysis in these models.

The active agent research covers three stages, explained Förster. In the beginning there is the so-called substance screening with tests to be performed rapidly at simple skin cell cultures. As promising bio-active substances certain plant extracts have been identified in this test screen which stimulate the skin cells as messenger substances (phytokinin) to enhance the collagen synthesis. Other active agents hold up the synthesis of collagen reducing enzymes started by UV-radiation.

In stage two of the test hierarchy the new in-vitro skin models are made use of. These models had caused an enormous sensation in the media shortly before the meeting in Freiburg. "The vision of an eternally young skin will be reality within a few years' time", this remark by the recently retired ex-Henkel head Hans Dietrich Winkhaus at the last shareholder assembly drew the public's attention to the work of Thomas Förster's team.

"Henkel's skin equivalent" so the internal name of the skin model contains all principal skin layers (dermis, epidermis and horny layer) and has thus the identical structure as human skin. The active agents can be applied under realistic conditions as for instance in a cream or gel basis and its effectiveness can be analyzed. In this model an increase of the collagen synthesis by 37 percent could be proven for a selected phytokinin from a soy bean plant.

Finally in the third stage of the active agent research the dermatologic test is effected. In the case of the examined phytokinin the results of the in-vitro skin model could be confirmed in an impressive way: after a two-week application of a Phytokin-containing cream the collagen content in skin has increased by 29 percent on average. Furthermore, wrinkles have been visibly reduced.

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Prophylaxis from oxidative stress in skin

Active substances in cosmetics protect from skin ageing

Freiburg - The department Dermocosmetics in the Gesellschaft für Dermopharmazie [GD] (Society for Dermopharmacy) devotes special emphasis to the development of interdisciplinary concepts for documentation and quality assurance of cosmetical preparations. Subject of a workshop organized in the course of the 4th Annual Meeting in Freiburg on 23 and 24 May have been current cosmetical active substances for the protection from skin ageing.

The workshop revealed that in the field of cosmetical product development increasing importance is given to the protection from environmentally impairing effects and biological ageing processes in skin. As exterior barrier of the body, skin is exposed to a multitude of environmental influences as UV-radiation, ozone and cigarette smoke. These influences generate free radicals which on their part cause oxidative stress in skin. The oxidative stress plays a part in the producing of pathologic processes as the light-induced skin ageing and the emergence of skin cancer.

In order to protect the skin from free radicals antioxidative protection mechanisms are indispensable. Elements of the non-enzymatic protection system are the vitamins C and E. Whereas the vitamin C is the most important water-soluble antioxidant, vitamin E belongs to the lipid-soluble radical scavengers which are localized in the cell membrane. Coenzyme Q10 (Ubiquinon) and its reduced form (Ubiquinol) act as antioxidant and electron transmitter at the interior mitochondrial membrane. Ubiquinol is able to reduce oxidized vitamin E and it is that antioxidant which is used up first after the emergence of oxidative stress in skin.

In principle it is possible to supplement the vitamins C and E as well as the coenzyme Q10 by means of topical application. Topically applied vitamin E enhances the natural UV-protection of skin and takes a positive effect on skin smoothness and skin humidity. Both parameter are firmly connected with the functioning of the skin barrier. It could be proven for topically applied coenzyme Q10 that it inhibits in-vitro and in-vivo the formation of free radicals. Furthermore, the results of biophysical and clinical studies have supplied evidence that by using of creams containing coenzyme Q10 in long-term application the depth of wrinkles of the face skin can be reduced.

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Press photos

Remedy for bald head

Photo: K. Müller-Bringmann / GD

Hope for men with bald head: Starting from September 2000 there is a new medicament in Germany against the hereditary caused hair loss. The effectiveness of this medicament which is available on prescription only has been proven in extensive studies.

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Cosmetics Research

Photo: K. Müller-Bringmann / GD

Decoding of the aging process of the human skin: Dr. Thomas Förster (l.) and his team developed skin models for cosmetics research, at which new active substances can be examined.

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Active substances against wrinkles

Photo: K. Müller-Bringmann / GD

Critical view into the mirror: Environmental influences and sun baths stress the skin and accelerate the development of wrinkles. Studies showed that creams which contain so-called antioxidants can reduce wrinkle depth of the facial skin.

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