SKIN CARE 39
to imitate a ‘microbiome’ recovery/resettlement process under influence of fermented colloidal oatmeal. An extremely stable and well-understood Gram-positive bacteria initiating culture23 was used to represent a ‘microbiome’ model. An oat flour substrate containing its inherent microorganisms, was used to represent extraneous microorganisms (that would be present on the skin), as well as competing with the ‘microbiome’. The study was performed by investigating eight individual growth phases of a microbial colony known to proliferate at a consistently steady rate and showing little or no change in metabolic activity during its proliferation.23
The
microbial colony (starter culture) added was created to be on the verge of collapse, in order to represent a highly disrupted microbiome with a low concentration being due to its high degree of strength and stability. This high strength would otherwise mask any influence of test materials. Measurements taken at 0 and 2 hours
reflect the substrate microorganisms gaining dominance over the weakened gram-positive colony. At 4-6 hours a reversal of dominance occurs — initiation phase. The exponential growth phase at 18- 20 hours represents the recovery / resettlement process of the gram-positive microbial colony. Every two hours the grade of acidification and pH was measured by titration which provides reliable information of the rate of metabolic activity within the Gram-positive colony. pH values are monitored as a control measurement for the study. Each test was performed in duplicate.
Although the results appear to show modest differences in the metabolic activity, results of the varying influence of the fermented colloidal oatmeal materials tested can be considered as significant (Fig 2). Fermented colloidal oatmeal was shown to significantly increase the stability and efficiency of the microbial colony (Fig 3). This is due to the stability of the strain used in this study which is naturally averse to changes and its metabolic processes not easily influenced. On the skin, this effect would be anticipated to be significantly higher given the large diversity and distribution of the skins natural microflora. The results show that the various grades
of fermented colloidal oatmeal and degree of filtration used to produce them have a major impact on the way fermented colloidal oatmeal affects the metabolic activity of a microbial community. The overall observation is that fermented colloidal oatmeal speeds up the resettlement of the microbial community under these experimental conditions and has the potential to behave positively on the skin’s microflora.
June 2018 n Commercial Anti-Aging Cream Control n Aurafirm N 2.0% 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 Thickness 3 Hours Lamination Thickness 24hours Lamination
Figure 4: Effect of aurafirm on stratum corneum thickness and lamination following treatment of de-lipidised abdominoplasty skin samples versus marketed hydrating product control.
Skin barrier observations The benefits of colloidal oatmeal including Oat COM (now referred to as ‘the advanced colloidal oatmeal’) and other oat derived components such as oat oil have been well reported in both clinical studies for atopic and ‘sensitive’ skin applications with a disrupted skin barrier.15,21,24
advanced colloidal oatmeal is advanced due to its structural and chemical composition with increased oil and water binding capacities. Fermented colloidal oatmeal a Lactobacilli ferment of the advanced colloidal oatmeal, given its NMF content as well as other unique oat active components, was assessed for its potential to enhance barrier repair and thus skin hydration, in de-lipidised living skin explants obtained from human abdominoplasty. Varying concentrations of crude and refined fermented colloidal oatmeal were tested (0.5% and 2%) with control references of the advanced colloidal oatmeal, beta-glucan and beta-glucan oat powder, and a marketed skin moisturiser. The skin was de-lipidised to represent a model for a disrupted dry skin barrier. Delipidation with ether/acetone (1/1) of skin explants was conducted on day 0. Immediately following delipidation also on Day 0, topical treatment of 2 mg/explant with the reference controls was performed. Sampling of skin explants (3 from each batch), 3 h and 24 h was then undertaken. Samples were then divided into 2 batches — one frozen at minus 80°C, and the second fixed in buffered formalin. After fixation for 24 hours samples were dehydrated and impregnated in paraffin using a Leica PEARL dehydration automat.
Samples were embedded using a Leica EG 1160 embedding station and 5-μm-thick sections made using a Leica RM 2125 Minot-type microtome. Sections were mounted on Superfrost®
histological glass As described, the
slides. The general morphology study of epidermal structure, with a focus on the stratum corneum, was performed on slides stained according to Masson’s Trichome staining method.25
of staining were performed using a Leica DMLB or Olympus BX43 microscope and images digitised using a numeric DP72 Olympus camera with CellD storing software.
Results showed that after 3 hours
treatment all tested products induce a moderate increase of the stratum corneum thickness and lamination. However, at 24 hours a greater increase in both stratum corneum thickness and lamination aspects were observed with 2% fermented colloidal oatmeal over all other tested products including the reference commercial multi- ingredient anti-ageing cream control. (Fig 4). Based on the composition of fermented colloidal oatmeal it is suggested that an improvement in stratum corneum thickness may in part be attributed to the presence of NMFs, alpha hydroxy acids, and other barrier favouring oat active principles.26-28 These interesting observations would benefit from further investigation examining the specific mode of action.
Effects on epidermal thickness Given the above findings, and in parallel, it was suggested that fermented colloidal oatmeal may have potential benefit on certain skin markers relating to its structural
PERSONAL CARE EUROPE
Microscopy observations
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