In vitro evaluation of the cytotoxicity and eye irritation potential of preservatives widely used in cosmetics

The consumption of cosmetics has been increasing every year and is expected to reach $675 billion by 2020 at an estimated growth rate of 6.4% per year. Exposure to skin irritants is the major cause of non-immunological inflammation of the skin. Therefore, the safety evaluation of cosmetic preservati...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Corrêa, Gabriela de Oliveira Prado [UNESP], Marcato, Danieli Camilo [UNESP], Ramos, Wagner Soares [UNESP], Corrêa, Marcos Antônio [UNESP], Cicarelli, Regina Maria Barretto [UNESP], Isaac, Vera Lucia Borges [UNESP]
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2022
Country:Brasil
Institution:Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP)
Repository:Repositório Institucional da UNESP
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:repositorio.unesp.br:11449/249325
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/s2175-97902022e20039
http://hdl.handle.net/11449/249325
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Cell culture
Cosmetics
Cytotoxicity
HET-CAM test
Preservatives
Description
Summary:The consumption of cosmetics has been increasing every year and is expected to reach $675 billion by 2020 at an estimated growth rate of 6.4% per year. Exposure to skin irritants is the major cause of non-immunological inflammation of the skin. Therefore, the safety evaluation of cosmetic preservatives should be increased. Thus, the present work aimed to evaluate the cytotoxicity as the viability endpoint and the eye irritation potential of preservatives used in cosmetics. Cytotoxicity assays were performed using MTT and NRU in human keratinocytes (HaCaT), human dermal fibroblasts, adult (HDFa), and human hepatoma cells (HepG2). The eye irritation potential was evaluated using the Hen’s Egg Test-chorioallantoic membrane (HET-CAM). The evaluated preservatives were methylparaben (MP), propylparaben (PP), phenoxyethanol (PE), and a mixture of methylchloroisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone (CMI/MI). All preservatives showed cytotoxic potential within the permitted concentrations for use in cosmetic products. In the HET-CAM test, PE and CMI/MI, MP, and PP were classified as severe, moderate, and poor irritants, respectively. Our results indicate that proper safety evaluations are required to ensure the beneficial properties of preservatives on cosmetic products without exceeding exposure levels that would result in adverse health effects for consumers.