Acetone has anti‐inflammatory effects on experimental contact reactions

Abstract

The effects of a topically applied corticosteroid and its acetone vehicle on experimental allergic, toxic and irritant reactions are presented. The corticosteroid budesonide in acetone or acetone alone was applied to reactions immediately after and at different time intervals within the 1st h after provocation. Classical naked eye observation was performed and the dermal cellular infiltrate was differentiated and counted using a previously well-characterized method. "Treatment", whether with the steroid in acetone or acetone alone, had anti-inflammatory effects. For all reaction types, erythema and oedema diminished and a significant decrease in mononuclear cells was seen, when application occurred within the first 5 min after provocation. The effects were most marked for the toxic reaction to croton oil, the steroid and the vehicle being anti-inflammatory to the same extent. Application up to 60 min after provocation had anti-inflammatory effects for this reaction type. The mechanisms of acetone's anti-inflammatory effects are at present unclear. One possible explanation is that intercellular lipid organisation and, by extension, cellular membrane lipid organisation, are altered, influencing membrane receptor function. Possible anti-inflammatory effects of acetone should be considered in experimental and perhaps even clinical situations. Further investigation of the therapeutic possibilities of the finding seems warranted.

Polyketal microparticles for therapeutic delivery to the lung

“…However, PK3 microparticles did not display any significant increase in airway inflammation above the saline control, as opposed to PLGA microparticles, which did induce a significant macrophage infiltration starting at day 4 and continuing through day 7 and a transient lymphocyte infiltration at day 4. The extreme biocompatibility of polyketals in the lung may be due to the reported anti-inflammatory activity of its degradation product, acetone [30]. However, further studies would be required to elucidate the mechanism of this PK3 action.…”

Ketone bodies affect the enzymatic activity of macrophage migration inhibitory factor

“…Akin to acetylacetone the ketone bodies -acetoacetate, h-hydroxibutyrate and acetone -are also CH acidic. Ketone bodies reportedly counteract certain inflammatory processes (Sato et al, 1992;Sjogren et al, 1999). We have studied the effects of ketone bodies on MIF's enzymatic activity.…”

Phototesting with a divergent UVB beam in the investigation of anti‐inflammatory effects of topically applied substances

“…There is interest in the development of novel anti‐inflammatory agents that could serve as useful therapeutic adjuncts to topical steroids which, though effective and widely used, have a range of unwanted side effects (8). In a recently published study on guinea pig skin, Sjögren et al (9) reported an unexpected finding – that topically applied acetone had anti‐inflammatory effects on experimental contact reactions. The mechanism for this effect is unclear.…”