Research Summary
Ten percent polysorbate 85, a nonionic surfactant, was applied to the upper arm of 15 healthy individuals under occlusive dressing daily for four days. The other arm was similarly treated with the ointment base (white petrolatum USP) to provide a control area. At the end of the treatment, macroscopic observations indicated minor erythema in 11 cases, while no visible changes were noted on the surfactant-treated areas of 4 individuals or on any of the control areas.
No definite histologic changes were observed through microscopic evaluations. However, the results of biochemical assays were more definitive. The content of the epidermal phospholipids was elevated within a range of 5 to 65% as a result of the treatment with the polysorbate 85 preparation.
Radioactive tracer studies indicated higher rates of phosphorus incorporation into epidermal phospholipids, TCA-soluble DNA, and RNA fractions of the surfactant-treated skin. These results resemble those documented in earlier studies conducted with rabbit skin.
<Access the full report below>