Bensal HP Attenuates the Inflammatory Response in Hair Shaving Associated Dermatitis.

Shaving is an ubiquitous practice, and cutaneous irritation and inflammation are common sequelae, which may be worsened by underlying skin conditions or poor hair removal techniques. Moisturizing shaving creams and aftershaves are available to help maintain or restore the epidermal barrier; however, many continue to suffer from post-shave redness, itching, and pain. To reduce post-shave inflammation, some products have included botanical and other natural ingredients, which are often favored by consumers. We evaluated Bensal HP, an ointment containing 3% oak bark extract, 3% salicylic acid, and 6% benzoic acid, which has documented anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, in a murine model of shave irritation to determine whether it would be useful in this clinical setting. Shaving dermatitis was simulated using a depilatory agent and electric clippers, and the shaved area was photographed and treated with Bensal HP daily for four days. Compared to untreated controls, mice treated with Bensal HP experienced a visible reduction in skin irritation and inflammation. These findings were mirrored on histology, as Bensal HP-treated areas demonstrated increased epidermal integrity and decreased dermal inflammatory infiltrate compared to untreated skin. Using immunohistochemistry, fewer neutrophils and macrophages were noted, and cytokine analysis also revealed decreased IL-6 in Bensal HP-treated skin at 24 and 96 hours after shaving. These results highlight the potential of Bensal HP as an anti-inflammatory treatment for shave irritation. Given the product's application against a variety of inflammatory and infectious skin disorders, its use against shave irritation may also improve comorbid skin conditions, such as pseudofolliculitis barbae.

J Drugs Dermatol. 2016;15(7):836-840.

Bensal HP Treatment for Burn and Excision Wounds: An In-Vivo Assessment of Wound Healing Efficacy and Immunological Impact.

Natural ingredients are of increasing interest within the field of dermatology. Bensal HP, an ointment containing 3% oak bark extract, 3% salicylic acid, and 6% benzoic acid, is believed to be efficacious against a variety of inflammatory and infectious dermatidites. Here we evaluate Bensal HP's ability to influence wound healing, which has yet to be studied in this setting. Bensal HP applied to burn wounds on the dorsal surface of BALB/c mice significantly attenuated wound expansion in the first few days post-injury as compared to controls. Histological analysis mirrored these findings with accelerated maturation of the wound bed and increased collagen deposition by the end of the study period. Cytokine analysis revealed decreased IL-6 and TNFα secretion in the Bensal HP-treated burns as compared to controls. Similarly, excisional wounds treated with Bensal HP demonstrated comparable wound healing as compared to controls with positive histologic features and increased collagen deposition. Furthermore, IL-6 production was attenuated in the Bensal-HP treated wounds at day 3, with no differences appreciated in IL-6 at day 7 or in TNFα at either time point. While Bensal-HP represents a therapeutic strategy to enhance the histologic and immunologic milieu in burn and excisional wounds, further study is needed to fully elucidate the full potential of this treatment.

Characterization and assessment of nanoencapsulated sanguinarine chloride as a potential treatment for melanoma.

Sanguinarine has a history of use in both folk medicine and early dermatology for the treatment of cutaneous neoplasms. Applied indiscriminately, bloodroot is an escharotic agent with potential to cause extensive tissue necrosis. However, when used in a controlled fashion, sanguinarine imparts selective cytotoxic/anti-proliferative activity through multiple mechanisms against human/ murine melanoma. To exploit sanguinarine's observed activity against melanoma, a targeted delivery system is required. We present a sol-gel based nanoparticulate platform for encapsulating sanguinarine chloride(sang-np)-a targeted therapeutic capable of steady, reliable delivery of predictable quantities of drug over a sustained time period with minimal undesirable effects. Size and release kinetics of sang-np were characterized using dynamic light scattering and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy respectively. In vitro efficacy of sang-np was assessed. At both 2 and 24 hours, free sanguinarine killed > 90% of B16 melanoma cells, assessed via MTT assay. At 2 hours, sang-np killed a portion of melanoma cells, increasing to percentages comparable to free sanguinarine by 24 hours. Control(empty) nanoparticles exerted minimal toxicity to melanoma cells at both time points. TUNEL assay revealed that treatment with both sanguinarine and sang-np induces apoptosis in B16 melanoma cells, suggesting that both treatments act via the same mechanism of action. These data confirm controlled release of sanguinarine from sang-np, as well as comparable efficacy and mechanism of action to sanguinarine alone. This suggests that nanoparticle delivery of sanguinarine may be a unique approach to capitalize on this potent agent's inherent anti-tumor activity and overcome many of the limitations with its current formulation.