Antifungal principles of Baccharis pedunculata.

Four compounds including a flavone, an acetylenic lactone, a prenylated coumarin, and a 3-methyl ether flavone were isolated from the dichloromethane leaf extract of Baccharis pedunculata (Mill.) Cabr. (Asteraceae). The latter three compounds were identified to be responsible for the antifungal activity against some human pathogenic and phytopathogenic fungi. The most active compound, lachnophyllum lactone, an acetylenic lactone, showed a very high toxicity (LD50 2 micrograms/ml) against human keratinocytes.

Antifungal tests in phytochemical investigations: comparison of bioautographic methods using phytopathogenic and human pathogenic fungi.

The detection limits in two bioautographic assays have been determined for a series of antifungal compounds, including clinically used antimycotics, fungicidal agrochemicals, and various classes of secondary plant metabolites. Target organisms were the filamentous fungus Cladosporium cucumerinum and the yeast Candida albicans. For clinical agents and agrochemicals, the detection limits in the two assays reflected to a certain extent their known spectrum of activity. Most of the plant-derived compounds tested showed a positive response in both assays, but with detection limits varying by a factor up to tenfold. For screening purposes, it is thus advisable to use both tests, as some activities would otherwise go undetected. The MIC values of these substances were determined in order to verify a possible correlation with the detection limit in the bioautographic assays.

An epidemic outbreak of papular and follicular contact dermatitis to tocopheryl linoleate in cosmetics. Swiss Contact Dermatitis Research Group.

BACKGROUND: In Spring 1992, an epidemic outbreak of papular and follicular rashes caused by a new line of cosmetics occurred throughout Switzerland. OBJECTIVE: Epidemiological and clinical data were collected in order to identify the offending agent and to specify the pathophysiological mechanisms. METHODS: The data concerning 263 patients seen by dermatologists plus 642 additional cases directly reported by consumers to the manufacturer were analyzed. Seventy-seven patients were patch-tested, 26 extensively, and 15 performed a repeated open application test for a duration of 4 weeks. Control patch and use tests were performed in 73 and 25 patients, respectively. The results were analyzed statistically. In addition, 12 skin biopsies were performed for histological examination. Biochemical studies on the cosmetics (final products and offending ingredient) supplemented the clinical studies. RESULTS: The lesions were mainly papular and follicular, widely distributed, with pronounced pruritus, which was aggravated by sweating or heat exposure, and were long lasting. In a few cases, the papules were located on intensely erythematous, well-defined plaques, suggesting irritation rather than allergy. Both immediate and delayed onsets of the lesions were observed. Skin biopsies showed signs of folliculitis and perifolliculitis with little alteration of the interfollicular epidermis. Patch and use testing disclosed vitamin E linoleate (a mixture of tocopheryl esters, mainly tocopheryl linoleate) as the offending agent. An in vitro time-dependent formation of oxidative products under storage or oxidation-stimulating conditions was observed. CONCLUSION: Though vitamin E esters have been widely and safely used for decades in dermatological preparations and in cosmetics, vitamin E linoleate was the cause of about 1,000 cases of unusual papular mainly follicular contact dermatitis. Oxidized vitamin E derivatives could act in vivo as haptens and/or irritants, possibly with synergistic effects.

Delayed skin reaction caused by a coelenterate.

We report a delayed skin reaction, histologically characterized by liquefaction degeneration of the basal layer, which was observed in a 30-year-old man returning from Guadeloupe. It was most likely due to contact with a marine animal.

[Acquired reactive collagen disease in the adult: successful treatment with UV-B light]. / Erworbene reaktive Kollagenose des Erwachsenen: erfolgreiche Behandlung durch UV-B-Licht.

A 77-year-old patient with diabetes and progressive renal failure suffered from severe pruritus accompanied by umbilicated, keratotic papules corresponding clinically and histologically to reactive perforating collagenosis. UV-B light therapy considerably improved the pruritus and the skin lesions.

Randomized double-blind multicenter study comparing acitretin-PUVA, etretinate-PUVA and placebo-PUVA in the treatment of severe psoriasis.

A randomized double-blind study was designed with 65 patients in order to clarify two points: (1) does addition of a retinoid to psoralen-ultra violet A photochemotherapy (PUVA) of severe psoriasis decrease the UVA energy required to achieve remission, and (2) is there a difference between two retinoids, i.e. etretinate and acitretin. Acitretin-PUVA treatment was significantly superior to placebo-PUVA with respect to several items (decrease in lesional scores after 6 weeks of therapy, number of PUVA exposures, and total dose of UVA until remission). There were also differences between the etretinate-PUVA and placebo-PUVA groups, but only the decrease in lesional scores reached statistical significance.

[Treatment of vitiligo]. / Die Behandlung der Vitiligo.

The treatment of vitiligo is still unsatisfactory in many patients. The only two methods that have been evaluated in numerous patients are classic psoralen-light therapy and local treatment with potent fluorinated corticosteroids. These two methods in addition to some more recent therapies that have still been insufficiently investigated are reviewed in light of the data in the newer literature.