Elsa Hernandez, Virginie Anchartéchahar, Catherine Kern,Christine Garcia
2021 SID Vitrual Meeting
Normal wound repair is a dynamic and complex process involving multiple coordinated interactions between various skin cells, cytokines, chemokines and growth factors. Titrated extract of Centella asiatica (TECA) is known to have benefits on skin repair as it acts on different wound healing and protection-related biological processes. Previous in vitro study revealed TECA was able to sooth and limit epidermal cell damages by inhibiting inflammatory cytokine IL-1α and protecting skin against free radicals. It also showed efficacy to accelerate the skin repair process in the dermis by promoting fibroblasts migration and reducing glycation. Furthermore, TECA participates in skin remodelling and maturation by regulating angiogenesis (TSP-1, VEGF) and stimulating contraction (α-SMA) and protection of the ECM against degradation by limiting MMP-1 and MMP-9 secretion. Our aim was to investigate TECA’s effects on the skin repair process in vivo. A clinical study was conducted as a randomized double blind trial, to compare the effects of a formula containing 0.2% TECA versus a placebo on damaged skin. Volunteers willing to have a laser intervention were recruited. Respecting the integrity of the epidermis, a nonablative fractional laser created thermal lesions within the dermis, defined as micro-thermal zones (MTZ), thus generating both inflammation and ECM damages stimulating the repair process. An inflammation was also induced within the epidermis via the laser act. First, using ultrasound imaging analysis, we could observe a repairing and anti-inflammatory effect of the TECA-containing formula. TECA was able to increase the dermis density from day 1 after product application in comparison with placebo and to reduce MTZ height from day 2. Furthermore, using confocal microscopy, we could observe after 4 days of application, a return to baseline of the inflammation signal density in the TECA group in comparison to 14 days for the placebo group. In conclusion these results showed TECA’s ability to efficiently repair damaged skin and reduce inflammation.
Seppic Research & Innovation, Paris La Défense, La Garenne Colombes