Effects of in vivo application of an overnight patch containing Allium cepa, allantoin, and pentaglycan on hypertrophic scars and keloids: Clinical, videocapillaroscopic, and ultrasonographic study.

Several therapeutic approaches have been described for their treatment of hypertrophic scars and keloids, but to date, the optimal treatment has not been established yet. Our in vivo study was conducted to evaluate the effect of a medical device consisting in an adhesive patch containing onion extract (Allium cepa) 10%, allantoin 1%, and pentaglycan 4% (Kaloidon patch) on hypertrophic scars and keloids. Thirty-nine patients with hypertrophic scars and seven patients with keloids were asked to apply an adhesive patch containing Allium cepa, allantoin, and pentaglycan once/day for at least 8 h consecutively, for 24 weeks. Patients were reevaluated 6 weeks (T6), 12 weeks (T12), and 24 weeks (T24) after starting the treatment through POSAS scale v 2.0, ultrasonographic, and videocapillaroscopic assessment. The investigated medical device was able to induce a significant improvement of POSAS starting from T12, with a positive amelioration trend until T24. However the patient-assessed POSAS sub-items showed improvement already after 6 weeks, whereas a significant improvement of the observer-assessed POSAS sub-items was observed only after 12 weeks (P < .001). Ultrasonography and intravital videocapillaroscopy confirmed a significant improvement of skin scars thickness (P < .001) and vascularization (P < .001) after 12 weeks of medical device application at least, with increasing improvement until T24. Applying an adhesive patch containing Allium cepa, allantoin, and pentaglycan once a day for at least 8 consecutive hours seems to be able to improve the clinical and morphological characteristics of the scars of the skin in 24 weeks.

Elastosis perforans serpiginosa: a case successfully treated with intralesional steroids and topical allium cepa-allantoin-pentaglycan gel.

Elastosis perforans serpiginosa is a rare skin disease in which abnormal elastic fibers, other connective tissue elements, and cellular debris are expelled from the papillary dermis through the epidermis. Three clinical variants of EPS can be detected: idiopathic, reactive, and drug-induced. Clinically it consists of small horny or umbilicated papules arranged in a linear, arciform, circular, or serpiginous pattern. It usually occurs in young adults and shows a predilection for the head and neck. The lesions are generally asymptomatic or slightly itching. Several treatments have been reported with poor long-term success; these include intralesional and topical corticosteroids, tazarotene, imiquimod, and cryotherapy. We report a case of 40-year-old black woman affected by elastosis perforans serpiginosa that was referred to our department and treated with intralesional injections of triamcinolone acetonide and topical application of allium cepa-allantoin-pentaglycan gel.

Effect of allium cepa-allantoin-pentaglycan gel on skin hypertrophic scars: clinical and video-capillaroscopic results of an open-label, controlled, nonrandomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Hypertrophic scar formation is a process in which prolonged angiogenesis sustained by vascular endothelial growth factor cutaneous expression plays an important role. OBJECTIVE: This in vivo study was conducted to evaluate the clinical effect of a topical gel containing onion extract, allantoin, and pentaglycan on hypertrophic scars and keloids. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty people with hypertrophic scars or keloids were examined. Fifteen patients received a topical application of a gel containing allium cepa, allantoin, and pentaglycan twice a day for 24 weeks, the remaining 15 patients received no topical treatments. A clinical evaluation and an intravital videocapillaroscopy were performed on every patient at baseline (T0) and 24 weeks (T24) after the treatment. RESULTS: Only the patients who received the topical treatment showed a significant reduction in neoangiogenetic features, demonstrated through an improvement of erythema and all videocapillaroscopic markers of neoangiogenesis. These changes induced by therapy led to a general improvement of the lesions. CONCLUSION: Topical applications of a gel containing allium cepa, pentaglycan, and allantoin twice a day for 24 weeks seems to be useful in reducing neoangiogenesis in hypertrophic scars and keloids, resulting in clinical improvement of skin lesions. The authors have indicated no significant interest with commercial supporters.

Breakdown of inhibitory effects induced by foot motor imagery on hand motor area in lower-limb amputees.

OBJECTIVE: Amputation of a limb induces plastic changes in motor cortex that modify the relationships between the missing limb and the remaining body part representations. We used motor imagery to explore the interactions between a missing lower limb and the hand/forearm cortical representations. METHODS: Eight right leg amputees and nine healthy subjects participated in the study. Focal transcranial magnetic stimulation was used to map out the hand/forearm muscle maps at rest and during imagined ankle dorsiflexion and plantarflexion. RESULTS: In healthy subjects, both motor imagery tasks strongly inhibited the map volume and contracted the map area of the hand muscles. By contrast, in amputees, imagined dorsiflexion and plantarflexion enhanced the map area and volume of the hand muscles. In the forearm muscle maps, both groups displayed a similar pattern of isodirectional coupling during both motor imagery tasks. Imagined dorsiflexion facilitated MEP amplitudes of the extensor and inhibited the flexor muscles of the upper limb. This pattern was reversed during imagined plantarflexion. CONCLUSIONS: We argue that there exists an inhibitory relationship between the foot and hand motor cortices that ceases to exist after leg amputation. SIGNIFICANCE: The understanding of these functional mechanisms may shed light on the motor network underlying interlimb coordination.