Keratin films for ocular surface reconstruction: Wound healing in an in-vivo model.

The most commonly used tissue substitute for ocular surface reconstruction is human amniotic membrane (AM). Because of its low biomechanical strength and intransparency there is a need to search for alternatives of consistent quality. This study, further explored the biocompatibility of Keratin Film (KF) and its ability to sustain corneal epithelial wound healing. In three equal groups of 5 New Zeeland white rabbits a 4 mm superficial keratectomy was created in the right eye. Five eyes received a KF, five a human AM graft and the remaining five no implant. All eyes were treated with ofloxacin and dexamethasone eye drops and followed up for 10 days. Corneal fluorescein staining, vascularization, and transparency were assessed using slit lamp biomicroscopy according to a standardized grading score during and at the end of follow-up. The corneal-scleral-button was excised and processed for histology. After 10 days all eyes which had received a KF showed complete epithelial healing and no signs of neovascularization. In the AM group 1 eye showed a persistent epithelial defect at day 10 and 2 eyes showed neovascularization at day 7 resolving at day 10. Transparency improved progressively both in the KF group as well as in the AM group towards the end of the follow. Histology showed a multilayer epithelium firmly adherent to the KF with no evidence of keratocyte migration or inflammatory reaction in the corneal stroma. In this study on rabbit eyes KF better supported corneal epithelial wound healing than amniotic membrane.

Effect of an oral preparation containing hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate, hydrolyzed collagen type II and hydrolyzed keratin on synovial fluid features and clinical indices in knee osteoarthritis. A pilot study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an oral preparation containing a naturally occurring matrix of hydrolyzed collagen type II, chondroitin sulfate (CS), and hyaluronic acid (HA), and bioactive oligopeptides of natural hydrolyzed keratin (K) in patients affected by knee OA through the evaluation of synovial fluid (SF) and clinical changes before and after treatment. Thirty patients with knee OA and swollen joint were included in the study and submitted to arthrocentesis. Patients were randomized in two groups: 1) the treatment group (N.15) took a dietary supplement containing 120 mg HA, 240 mg CS and 300 mg K once a day for 4 weeks; 2) the control group (N.15) was only submitted to arthrocentesis. Patient symptoms were evaluated at the beginning and at the end of the study by the WOMAC self-assessment questionnaire, the Lequesne algofunctional index, and the VAS forms. SF changes were evaluated by measuring local inflammatory indices, cytokines IL-1ß, IL-8, IL-6, IL-10 and GM-CSF. The group of patients treated with the oral supplement showed an improvement in the clinical indices WOMAC (p<0.01), Lequesne (p=0.014) and VAS pain (p<0.01). On the contrary, no significant changes were found in the control group. The SF collected from the treated group showed a reduction of IL-8 (p=0.015), IL-6 and IL-10 levels, while no changes in cytokines were observed in the control group. This pilot study suggests that an oral administration of a preparation containing a combination of HA, CS and K can improve some clinical parameters and affect cytokine concentrations in SF in patients with knee OA.

Thermo-sensitive keratin hydrogel against iron-induced brain injury after experimental intracerebral hemorrhage.

In situ keratin hydrogel offer a promising strategy to relieve the brain injury after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) by delivering the iron chelator directly to the stroke site. However, the injectable property of traditional keratin hydrogel is unsatisfactory, which can't provide adaptable filling of lesion defects with irregular shapes. Herein, the thermo sensitive keratin-g-PNIPAM polymers with different graft ratios were synthesized, and deferoxamine mesylate (DFO) loaded thermo sensitive keratin hydrogels (TKGs) were prepared using the oxidative crosslinking method. The lower critical solution temperature of TKGs can be tailored from 28.5 to 31.8 °C by varying the graft ratios of keratin to NIPAM, and TKG can fill up the complex shapes of lesion cavities easily due to the characteristic of sol-gel transition. In addition, TKGs exhibit stronger adsorption and clearance capacities for the Fe2+ than keratin gel. Meanwhile, in situ injection of TKG with different DFO loadings (0.1, 1.0, and 10 mg/mL) into the hematoma region after ICH surgery showed a stronger effect on the reduction of ICH-induced iron deposits, brain non-heme iron content, brain edema and ROS level compared to the DFO treatment by intraperitoneal administration. Thus, the developed TKG can be potentially exploited for iron-induced brain injury after ICH.

The effect of chronic soluble keratin supplementation in physically active individuals on body composition, blood parameters and cycling performance.

BACKGROUND: Keratins are structural, thiol-rich proteins, which comprise 90% of total poultry feather weight. Their favourable amino acid profile suggests the potential for use as a protein source and ergogenic aid for endurance athletes, following treatment to increase digestibility. This study investigated whether 4 weeks of soluble keratin (KER) consumption (0.8 g/kg bodyweight/day) by 15 endurance-trained males would have favourable effects on body composition, blood and cardiorespiratory variables, and cycling performance, compared to casein protein (CAS). METHODS: Supplementation was randomized, blinded and balanced, with a minimum eight-week washout period between trials. An exercise test to measure oxygen consumption during submaximal and maximal cycling exercise was completed at the start at and end of each intervention. Anthropometric (DEXA) and blood measures were made prior to and following each intervention period. RESULTS: Total body mass and percentage body fat did not change significantly (p > 0.05). However, a significantly greater increase in bone-free lean mass (LM) occurred with KER compared to CAS (0.88 kg vs 0.07 kg; p < 0.05). While no change in LM was evident for the trunk and arms, leg LM increased (0.45 ± 0.54 kg; p = 0.006) from baseline with KER. KER was not associated with changes in blood parameters, oxygen consumption, or exercise performance (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that KER is not useful as an ergogenic aid for endurance athletes but may be a suitable protein supplement for maximizing increases in lean body mass.

Keratin-based particles for protection and restoration of hair properties.

OBJECTIVE: Human hair is an element with unquestionable relevance in society both for women and men. Therefore, it is of great importance to develop new cosmetic products for hair care capable to restore and improve hair's characteristics. Here, we explore the potential of keratin-based particles in the protection and recovery of hair mechanical properties and thermal stability. METHODS: Keratin-based particles were obtained by high pressure homogenization (HPH) using keratin and silk fibroin. The particles were characterized regarding size, superficial charge and polydispersity index. Their safety to cells was assessed using human skin keratinocytes. Virgin and overbleached Asian hair were treated with eight keratin-based formulations. The effect of particles on hair's mechanical properties was evaluated in terms of stiffness and tensile strength. The impact of treatments in hair thermal performance was studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). RESULTS: Keratin-based particles were capable to recover and/or improve the mechanical properties of virgin and overbleached hair. Virgin hair treated with K80 SF20 P particles presented an improvement in the mechanical properties of around 40%. An increase in keratin α-helix denaturation enthalpy and in surface smoothness for both types of hair was also verified after treatment. These particles demonstrated stability over time and proved to be safe when tested in human keratinocytes. CONCLUSION: The keratin-based particles here presented have the potential to be incorporated in the development of new and effective hair care cosmetic formulations.

Wool-derived keratin dressings versus usual care dressings for treatment of slow-healing venous leg ulceration: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial (Keratin4VLU).

INTRODUCTION: Keratins, filament-forming proteins found in vertebrate epithelium, are downregulated in slow-healing venous leg ulcers (VLU) compared with normal-healing VLU. Laboratory and animal model research has suggested exogenous keratins increase expression of endogenous keratins. A non-randomised controlled trial of an exogenous keratin dressing reported increased healing in slow-healing VLU. To date, no randomised controlled trial has been done to verify these promising findings. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The Keratin4VLU trial is a single-blind, pragmatic, parallel group, randomised controlled trial of keratin dressings compared with usual care non-medicated dressings in patients with VLU where either (1) the ulcer area is greater than 5 cm2, (2) the ulcer has been present for more than 26 weeks or (3) both. All patients will receive compression therapy. The primary outcome is the proportion of patients with healed VLU at 24 weeks after randomisation as adjudicated by blinded review of an ulcer photograph. Secondary outcomes are time to healing, estimated change in ulcer area, change in health-related quality of life, agreement between blinded and unblinded assessors and adverse events. The analysis will be intention-to-treat on the primary and secondary outcomes (excepting health-related quality of life). ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The Keratin4VLU trial received ethical approval from the Northern A Health and Disability Ethics Committee. We plan to publish the results within 1 year of trial completion and will include the results on the trial registration page. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02896725; Pre-results.

Hair growth promoting activity of discarded biocomposite keratin extract.

Keratin biomaterial has been used in regenerative medicine owing to its in-vivo and in-vitro biocompatibility. The present study was aimed to investigate the hair growth promoting activity of keratin extract and its mechanism of action. Keratin extract was topically applied on the synchronized depilated dorsal skin of telogenic C57BL/6 mice and promoted hair growth by inducing the anagen phase. The histomorphometric observation indicated significantly increases the number, shaft of hair follicles and deep subcutis area in the keratin extract treated group in contrast to the control group, which was considered an indication of anagen phase induction. Subsequently, the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that fibroblast growth factor-10, vascular endothelial growth factor, insulin-like growth factor-1, ß-catenin, and Shh were expressed earlier in the keratin extract-treated group than in the control group. Besides, keratin extract has been observed to be biocompatible when analyzed with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining using immortalized human keratinocyte cells, showing more than 90% cell viability. Our study demonstrated that keratin extract stimulating hair follicle growth by inducing the growth phase; anagen in telogenic C57BL/6 mice and thus the topical application of keratin extract may represent a promising biomaterial for the management and applications of hair follicle disorder.

Effects of cypermethrin on cytokeratin 8/18 and androgen receptor expression in the adult mouse Sertoli cell / Efectos de cipermetrina sobre la expresión de citoqueratinas 8/18 y el receptor de andrógenos en la célula de sertoli del ratón adulto

Background. With the explosive population growth an increased use of land for cultivation purposes and the usage of biotechnologies in agriculture—such as pesticides—respond to the need for more efficient systems. However, improper application of pesticides has a negative effect on the environment, on exposed animals and on humans. Cypermethrin, a synthetic pyrethroid, is an insecticide with low risk to human and animal health and with broad insecticidal activity against a large number of pests. Studies in humans and animals show morphological and functional alterations in different organs exposed to cypermethrin. Pyrethroids are chemicals with structural similarity to pyrethrins and possess increased toxicity to insects over mammals. Objective. This research analyzes the variations of the state of differentiation of Sertoli cells and androgen receptor expression in testes of healthy adult mice exposed to cypermethrin. Material and method. Mice were divided into three groups: control 1 (untreated), control 2 (inoculated intraperitoneally with 0.1ml of vegetable oil), and the experimental group 3 (inoculated with 1/5 of the lethal dose 50 (LD50=485mg/kg) of cypermethrin). Results. Cypermethrin exerts acute and chronic effects on Sertoli cells in the testis of the adult mouse. These effects are manifested by the significant increase in epithelial height and the dedifferentiation of Sertoli cells evidenced through the presence of the Ck 8/18-type intermediate filament—a characteristic of differentiating cells—especially considering the functional cyclicity of the testicular compartment. Conclusions. Cypermethrin significantly affects the structure and function of Sertoli cells through the cytoskeleton and the state of maturation (AU)

Antecedentes. Con el crecimiento explosivo de la población, un mayor uso de la tierra con fines de cultivo y el uso de las biotecnologías en la agricultura—como pesticidas—responden a la necesidad de sistemas más eficientes. Sin embargo, la aplicación inadecuada de pesticidas tiene un efecto negativo sobre el medio ambiente, en los animales expuestos y en los seres humanos. La cipermetrina, un piretroide sintético, es un insecticida de bajo riesgo para la salud humana y animal, y con una amplia actividad insecticida frente a un gran número de plagas. Los estudios en seres humanos y animales muestran alteraciones morfológicas y funcionales en diferentes órganos expuestos a la cipermetrina. Los piretroides son sustancias químicas con estructura muy similar a las piretrinas, a menudo más tóxicas para insectos que para mamíferos. Objetivo. La presente investigación analiza las variaciones del estado de diferenciación de las células de Sertoli y de la expresión del receptor de andrógeno en testículos de ratones adultos sanos expuestos experimentalmente a cipermetrina. Material y método. Los animales fueron distribuidos en 3 grupos: control 1 (n= 3) sin tratamiento, control 2 (n = 15) inoculados con 0,1ml de aceite vegetal vía intraperitoneal, y el grupo 3 y experimental (n = 15) inoculados con 1/5 de la dosis letal 50 (LD50= 485mg/kg) de cipermetrina. Resultados. Se observó que la cipermetrina tiene efectos agudos y crónicos sobre las células de Sertoli en el testículo de ratón adulto. Estos efectos se demuestran por el aumento significativo de la altura epitelial, como también por una desdiferenciación de las células de Sertoli a través de la presencia de los filamentos intermedios tipo CK8/18, característico de células en diferenciación, más aun considerando la ciclicidad funcional del compartimiento testicular. Conclusiones. La cipermetrina afecta significativamente a la estructura y la funcionalidad de las células de Sertoli, a través del citoesqueleto y el estado de maduración (AU)

Study of the keratin-based therapeutic dermal patches for the delivery of bioactive molecules for wound treatment.

In the present study, dressing materials were fabricated in the form of dermal patches. The keratin based biocompatible materials, namely Keratin/Alginate, Keratin/Agar, and Keratin/Gellan were developed as therapeutic dermal patches. The patches were coated with green synthesized silver nanoparticles to prevent the microbial infection and were found to be antimicrobial against pathogens. Papain was used in the patches to acquire the enzymatic cell debridement and its activity was measured by reduction rate of benzoyl-l-arginine ethyl ester. Glucose oxidase was loaded into the patches and examined to control the glycemic level in vitro for its topical application. For better wound healing, the patches were loaded with Trolox® to incorporate antioxidant properties. The patches were found mechanically efficient to sustain the material during application. The porosity and water absorption capacity of the dermal patches were investigated to ensure the maintenance of the optimum environment essential for wound treatment. To achieve the regeneration of the skin layer during wound healing, the fibroblast growth factor was loaded in the patches and it was observed that 77.77-88.89% of growth factor were released after three days of study. Thus, it can be concluded that all the three keratin based patches are suitable for preparation of dressing as they have been acquired with essential bioactivities for wound healing.

Healing response of rat pulp treated with an injectable keratin hydrogel.

BACKGROUND: Keratin has shown promising outcomes as a biomaterial due to its inherent bioactivity, biocompatibility and regenerative effects. The effect of keratin on repair and regeneration of dental tissues has never been studied before. Current therapies to treat pulp tissues involve its replacement with inert, synthetic materials that do not have a proper biological function, leading to failure and tooth loss. This study aimed to develop a biocompatible keratin hydrogel (KH) suitable for pulp therapies. METHODS: Keratins extracted from sheep wool were isolated, quantified and reconstituted to form KH. Different concentrations of keratin gel suitable for dental application were characterized by rheological analysis. The optimized gel based on flow characteristics was studied further for microstructure including porosity, percentage swelling ratio and contact angle measurements, using analytical tools such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), micro-computed tomography and goniometer. To assess both biocompatibility and pulpal response, KH was implanted into rat upper molar teeth following partial pulpotomy. After 28 days, the tissue sections were analyzed by histological and immunohistochemical methods to identify dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP-1) formation and compared with control (Ca(OH)2-treated) teeth. RESULTS: The results of the study demonstrated a viscous and injectable, porous, dimensionally stable, hydrophilic and biocompatible gel that allowed pulp healing to occur by a reparative response, with widespread DMP-1 expression. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study indicate that keratins can be developed as a biomaterial source for alternate biological treatment options for pulp therapies.

Nevo blanco esponjoso familiar / Familiar white sponge nevus

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HPLC-MS/MS method for quantification of paclitaxel from keratin containing samples.

Local drug delivery of paclitaxel is becoming ever more prevalent. As complex drug/excipient combinations are being developed and tested, new high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) techniques capable of quantifying paclitaxel from such formulations are needed. Here a method for quantifying paclitaxel from aqueous, protein and oil containing samples was developed and validated. Keratin, derived from human hair, is the protein component/paclitaxel excipient in the development and validation of said method. The novelty of this method is described by its ability to overcome water solubility issues and address clean-up of residual solvents in clinical grade paclitaxel injection composition. The method evaluates tert-butyl methyl ether and ethanol as extraction solvents with an extraction efficiency of 31.9±2.3% and 86.4±4.5% respectively. Upon evaporation and rehydration, samples were evaluated by HPLC-MS and a method was developed for paclitaxel quantification. The method developed had an inter-day precision of 9.1% relative standard deviation and an intra-day precision of 4.3% relative standard deviation normalized to a docetaxel internal standard. The described method is applicable to any aqueous paclitaxel sample containing protein and/or oils.

M30/M65 ratio predicts the outcome of paclitaxel chemotherapy for NSCLC

Purpose. Paclitaxel is an effective treatment for some of the non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. However, prediction of the outcome of paclitaxel treatment at the early stage of the chemotherapy is difficult. M30 and M65 are circulating fragments of cytokeratin 18 released during apoptosis or necrosis, respectively, and have been used as markers to evaluate chemotherapy in some cancers. Here, we aimed to examine M30 and M65 values for predicting the therapeutic outcome of paclitaxel treatment of NSCLC. Methods. The serum levels of M30 and M65 before and after paclitaxel treatment in advance-stage NSCLC patients were analyzed, and compared to those in healthy controls. The importance of the M30 and M65 levels to the outcome of chemotherapy was analyzed. Result. We found that the serum M30 and M65 levels were higher in patients with NSCLC (n = 44) than in control healthy subjects (n = 56) (p < 0.001). Two days after paclitaxel treatment, the serum levels of both M30 and M65 significantly increased in NSCLC patients (p < 0.001). Neither marker alone significantly correlated with overall patient survival, but the ratio of M30 vs M65 appeared to be an important prognostic factor for the overall survival of the patients (p < 0.01). Conclusion. Our results suggest that the serum M30/M65 ratio may be a prognostic factor for the outcome of paclitaxel treatment in NSCLC (AU)

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The role of allogenic keratin-derived dressing in wound healing in a mouse model.

Keratin is an interesting protein needed for wound healing and tissue recovery. We have recently proposed a new, simple and inexpensive method to obtain fur and hair keratin-derived biomaterials suitable for medical application. The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of the fur keratin-derived protein (FKDP) dressing in the allogenic full-thickness surgical skin wound model. The data obtained using scanning electron microscopy showed that employed processed biomaterial had higher surface porosity compared with control raw material. From the MTS test, it was found keratin biomaterial is not only toxic to the NIH/3T3 cell line (p < 0.05), but also enhances cell proliferation compared with the control. In vivo studies have shown keratin dressings are tissue biocompatible, accelerate wound closure and epithelialization to the statistically significant differences on day 5 (p < 0.05) in comparison to control wounds. Histological examination revealed, that in FKDP-treated wounds the inflammatory response contained predominantly macrophages whilst their morphological untreated variants showed mixed cell infiltrates rich in neutrophils. Predominant macrophages based response creates more favorable environment for healing. In FKDP-dressed wounds the number of microhemorrhages was also significantly decreased (p < 0.05) as compared with undressed wounds. Applied keratin dressing favors reconstruction of a more regular skin structure and assures better cosmetic effect in terms of scar formation and appearance. In conclusion, fur keratin-derived protein dressings significantly accelerated wound healing in the mouse model. Further studies are needed to determine the molecular mechanisms involved in the multilayer wound healing process and to assess the possible use of these dressings for medical purposes.

El nefroma quístico. Presentación de dos casos y revisión de la literatura / Cystic nephroma. Report of two cases and bibliographic review

OBJETIVO: El nefroma quístico, quiste multilocular o nefroma multilocular quístico, es una neoplasia renal infrecuente, de comportamiento benigno que se descubre habitualmente de formal incidental. MÉTODO: Entre 2010 y 2015, 2 pacientes fueron diagnosticados en nuestro servicio de nefroma quístico. Se revisaron las historias clínicas de dichos pacientes y realizamos una revisión de la literatura sobre las lesiones quísticas renales tanto benignas como malignas. RESULTADO: En este trabajo presentamos dos nuevos casos correspondientes a dos mujeres de 75 y 33 años que fueron intervenidas con sospecha de neoplasia renal. CONCLUSIONES: El tratamiento de elección del nefroma quístico es la cirugía y el diagnóstico final es anatomopatológico. En el manejo de estas lesiones, es preciso hacer el diagnóstico diferencial con neoplasias renales malignas como el carcinoma renal quístico multilocular y el nefroblastoma quístico

OBJECTIVE: Multicystic nephroma (multilocular cystic nephroma, multilocular cyst) is a relatively rare benign neoplasm of the kidney. Most patients are asymptomatic and tumours are usually discovered incidentally. METHODS: Between 2010 and 2015, 2 patients with cystic nephroma at our institution were diagnosed and treated. Our study includes two new cases of cystic nephroma and a review of the literature about the differential diagnosis of a cystic renal mass. RESULTS: In this report we present two cases of multilocular cystic nephroma in a 75-year-old-female and a 33-year-old female. They were diagnosed clinically as a renal mass and surgery was performed. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery is the main treatment for cystic nephroma. The combination of clinical, biochemical and radiological features may help in lesion characterization but only histology can provide the definite diagnosis. The differential diagnosis includes multilocular cystic renal cell carcinoma and cystic nephroblastoma

Collagen and keratin polypeptide models for assessing the natural and artificial protein decay of organic materials.

Among the materials constituting the natural and cultural heritage, organic materials of proteinaceous origin as bone (collagen), parchment and woolen textiles (keratin) are the most susceptible to damage and decay because of their exposure to air pollution, inappropriate values of ambient temperature, humidity and light. Aiming at contributing to the development of a reliable and reproducible immunoassay for the evaluation of collagen and keratin decay, three polypeptide models of these proteins were designed, synthesized and studied. Polypeptide [Pro-Ser(OBzl)-Gly]n incorporates the typical motif Pro-X-Gly of collagen; polypeptide [Pro-Cys(Acm)-Gly]n is a model of the C-terminal domain of type I keratin, corresponding to the repeating unit Pro-Cys-X of keratin, while polypeptide Ac-YRSGGGFGYRSGGGFGYRS-ßAla-NH2 encloses the characteristic repeating sequence GGGFGYRS of the N-terminal part of Type II keratin. These polypeptides may be considered as simplified models that mimic fragments of collagen and keratin resulting from artificial and natural ageing or decay. It is concluded that high recognition of anti-polypeptide antibodies, produced after immunizations, by the bone, parchment and textile samples is indicative of high deterioration, while high anti-collagen or anti-keratin recognition is indicative of low deterioration. Copyright © 2016 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Ciprofloxacin-loaded keratin hydrogels reduce infection and support healing in a porcine partial-thickness thermal burn.

Infection is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in burn patients. Current therapies include silver-based creams and dressings, which display limited antimicrobial effectiveness and impair healing. The need exists for a topical, point-of-injury antibiotic treatment that provides sustained antimicrobial activity without impeding wound repair. Fitting this description are keratin-based hydrogels, which are fully biocompatible and support the slow-release of antibiotics. Here we develop a porcine model of an infected partial-thickness burn to test the effects of ciprofloxacin-loaded keratin hydrogels on infection and wound healing. Partial-thickness burns were inoculated with either Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, resulting in infections that persisted for >2 weeks that exceeded 10(5) and 10(6) cfu per gram of tissue, respectively. Compared to silver sulfadiazine, ciprofloxacin-loaded keratin hydrogel treatment significantly reduced the amount of P. aeruginosa and S. aureus in the burn by >99% on days 4, 7, 11, and 15 postinjury. Further, burns treated with ciprofloxacin-loaded keratin hydrogels exhibited similar healing patterns as uninfected burns with regards to reepithelialization, macrophage recruitment, and collagen deposition and remodeling. The ability of keratin hydrogels to deliver antibiotics to fight infection and support healing of partial-thickness burns make them a strong candidate as a first-line burn therapy.

A clinical trial to investigate the effect of Cynatine HNS on hair and nail parameters.

OBJECTIVE: A new, novel product, Cynatine HNS, was evaluated for its effects as a supplement for improving various aspects of hair and nails in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. METHODS: A total of 50 females were included and randomized into two groups. The active group (n = 25) received 2 capsules containing Cynatine HNS, comprised of Cynatine brand keratin (500 mg) plus vitamins and minerals, per day, and the placebo group (n = 25) received 2 identical capsules of maltodextrin per day for 90 days. End points for hair loss, hair growth, hair strength, amino acid composition, and hair luster were measured. End points were also measured for nail strength and the appearance of nails. RESULTS: The results show that subjects taking Cynatine HNS showed statistically significant improvements in their hair and nails when compared to placebo. CONCLUSION: Cynatine HNS is an effective supplement for improving hair and nails in 90 days or less. EudraCT number is 2014-002645-22.