Clinical Evaluation of Novel Natural Polysaccharides Sacran as a Skincare Material for Atopic Dermatitis Patients

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis is a skin disease characterized by inflammation, pruritus, and chronic or relapsing eczematous lesions. Recently, ampholytic polysaccharide sacran has attracted a particular focus of attention as a novel biomaterial. In the present study, we investigated the effect of sacran solution on atopic dermatitis in the clinical study. Almost all of the average scores for atopic dermatitis symptoms of each patient treated with sacran solutions were improved. In addition, the scores of sleep disorder and itching were also significantly ameliorated by the sacran treatment for 4 weeks, compared with those of initial states. In immatured dermal skin model stimulated with 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB), the sacran treatment markedly down-regulated inflammatory cytokine and chemokine mRNA levels such as MCP-1, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 mRNAs, compared with that of DNFB alone. Furthermore, a sacran solution significantly suppressed the mRNA expression of TNF-α and COX-2 in RAW264.7 cells, a murine macrophage-like cell line, stimulated with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA). In RBL-2H3 cells, a rat basophilic leukemia cell line, a sacran solution significantly lowered β-hexosaminidase release, indicating the suppression of allergic response. These results suggest that a sacran solution may have the potential to improve atopic dermatitis through the impairment of production of inflammatory cytokine and chemokine mRNA.

Anti-inflammatory Effects of Novel Polysaccharide Sacran Extracted from Cyanobacterium <i>Aphanothece sacrum</i> in Various Inflammatory Animal Models

“…Previously, we demonstrated that sacran solution suppressed the β-hexosaminidase release in RBL-2H3 cells, which are now known to be an analog of rat mucosal mast cells, indicating the inhibition of mast cell degranulation. 24) These results suggest that the anti-inflammatory effects of sacran may contribute to inhibition of not only prostaglandins but also other inflammatory mediators.…”

Defensive Effects of a Unique Polysaccharide, Sacran, to Protect Keratinocytes against Extracellular Stimuli and Its Possible Mechanism of Action

“…In addition, previous studies regarding the physico-chemical behaviors of sacran and composites of sacran and polyols, demonstrated their unique characteristics in which sacran or the composites with polyols formed water insoluble gel-like sheets that had protective effects against chemicals and interfered with their penetration. 8) Although those results suggested that the physico-chemical properties are responsible for the improvement of skin conditions of subjects with an impaired skin barrier, the HaCaT keratinocytes were pretreated with or without 0.02% sacran for 24 h after which they were cultured with SLS at various concentrations as noted. Cell viability was measured using the neutral red assay, and is expressed as a percentage against sham-treated cells.…”

“…6) It has been reported that sacran also has a unique physical property in that it can form a gel-like film in combination with polyols and such a film can decrease the water evaporation rate and the penetration of calcein like an artificial barrier. 8) Furthermore, a serum containing sacran can improve skin conditions both in healthy subjects and in patients with AD. 9,10) Considering these facts, it is expected that sacran works not only as an artificial barrier on the skin surface but also penetrates to living epidermal cells to improve skin conditions.…”

Topical treatment with sacran, a sulfated polysaccharide from Aphanothece sacrum, improves corneocyte‐derived parameters

“…These unique characteristics were expected to provide protection to the skin against external stimuli and water evaporation. It has been reported, based on a questionnaire survey, that sacran solution reduced itching and facial rash in patients with atopic dermatitis, and that sacran inhibited the development of allergic reactions following sensitization by 2,4,6‐trinitrochlorobenzene . Although these reports described beneficial effects of sacran on diseased skin (e.g.…”