A study on skin and ocular irritation tests of growth factor and cytokine mixtures

Abstract

Growth factors and cytokines play an important role in delaying skin aging. However, there has been no animal stability test reported for them yet. In the present study, we examined the plausibility of Growth factor and Cytokine Mixtures (GCM) as a cosmetic ingredient by assessing skin irritation and ocular irritation for hypersensitivity using New Zealand white rabbits. Skin safety study was performed to evaluate the potential toxicity of GCM based on the irritation test. For the irritation test, GCM was applied to the rabbit skin, and no adverse reaction, such as erythema and edema, had been observed from the exposed skin sites. In the ocular irritation test, the treatment of GCM did not cause any adverse reaction on rabbit eyes, including cornea, iris, and conjunctiva tissues. From the results, both tests proved that GCM makes no irritable reaction on skin and eye mucous membrane of rabbit. Hence, it may be suggested that GCM can be safely applied as a cosmeceutical ingredient without causing any significant hypersensitivity reaction.