Reduction of residual topical diclofenac in waste water by a wiping procedure before hand washing.

Diclofenac is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) with widespread usage as a topical treatment for relief of pain and inflammation in soft-tissue injuries. While the permeation mechanisms of topically applied diclofenac are well documented, the fate of residual diclofenac not retained at the site of pain following subsequent hand-washing is still not well characterized. The aim of this study quantifies the amount of diclofenac present in rinse water after the application of a topical pain gel containing 23.2 mg/g diclofenac diethylamine, and subsequent washing of the hands. A comparison of two different hand washing techniques was completed with and without wiping hands directly after product application and before washing. A pilot study was completed to optimize the analytical procedures used in the quantification of diclofenac in the rinse water, followed by a main study with 24 test subjects. The data were first analyzed separately and subsequently pooled for statistical analysis. To determine the amount of diclofenac in the rinse water samples, we used reverse phase-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (RP-LC-MS/MS). It was determined that a hand washing procedure with a pre-wash wipe of the hands with a paper towel resulted in a 66% reduction in diclofenac released into the waste water system (7.43 ± 3.02 mg/L). This study shows for the first time that a wiping procedure before hand washing will have a significant impact on the amount of diclofenac in the rinse water. Thus, it is possible to significantly impact the release of non-absorbed residual diclofenac after product application.

Multi parametric biophysical assessment of treatment effects on xerotic skin.

Background: Topical moisturizing products are widely used to alleviate the problems associated with xerotic skin. Their use affects many properties of the stratum corneum (SC) in a complex and interrelated manner. The range of measurement techniques available to the researcher has increased in recent years. However, few studies have looked for correlations between the different techniques for assessing how aspects of xerotic skin change over time as a result of topical moisturizer usage. Objectives: A 3-week in vivo study using an oil-in-water based moisturizing product and an untreated site was conducted to determine the clinical significance of and any correlations between a range of different approaches for the measurement of skin lipid content and also skin hydration and visual grading of dry skin. Methods: A range of traditional and more recently developed skin measurement techniques have been used to examine a variety of SC properties in normal and xerotic skin during topical moisturizer usage. Results: In vivo confocal Raman spectroscopy and analysis of SC lipids from tape strips both showed an increase in SC lipid level and organization after 3 weeks of moisturizer usage on xerotic skin. Hydration, measured both optically and electrically, also increased and skin barrier function improved, with strong correlations between the different measures of dryness being observed. Conclusions: Strong correlations were observed between the skin measurements for lipid assessment and skin hydration with regard to the assessment of xerotic skin, providing valuable new information for future in vivo clinical research into dry and atopic skin. Keywords biophysical assessment, skin barrier, skin hydration, topical moisturizers, Xerosis.