A Study of Possible Role of Contact Period on the Efficacy of Antidandruff Shampoo

 

Juned Khan1, Ajazuddin1, SJ Daharwal2 and Deependra Singh2*

1Rungta College of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research, Bhilai (CG) 490024 India

2Institute of Pharmacy, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur (C.G.) 492010 India.

 

 

ABSTRACT

Many people suffer from dandruff problem. The dandruff occurs generally on the hair covered skin, specially the scalp skin. It is known to be controlled by antifungal agents. The present study was carried out to asses the effect of three minutes contact period on the efficacy of antidandruff shampoos. 1% Ketoconazole, 1% Piroctone olamine and 1% Zinc pyrithione were individually formulated in a shampoo base and were used for the study. Three groups of ten patients each with severe dandruff were taken such that each group was treated with only one of the antidandruff agent. Scoring of the dandruff was done on a 0 to 10 scale for each of the three regions of scalp at first and fourteenth day respectively. All the three antidandruff shampoo treated groups improved significantly with a contact period of three minutes rather than no contact period.

 

INTRODUCTION

Dandruff is a global phenomenon and many people find that dandruff can cause social or self-esteem problems. It is more common at age between 20-30 years. It can be controlled by fungistatic agents active against Malassezia as dandruff is associated with the presence of yeast or fungi of this genus1, 2. The yeasts of the genus Malassezia have been associated with a number of diseases affecting the human skin, such as pityriasis versicolor, Malassezia (Pityrosporum) folliculitis, seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and--less commonly--with other dermatologic disorders such as confluent and reticulated papillomatosis, onychomycosis, and transient acantholytic dermatosis. Although Malassezia yeasts are a part of the normal microflora, under certain conditions they can cause superficial skin infection3, 4.

While this fungus is found naturally on the skin surface of both healthy people and those with dandruff, it was discovered that a scalp specific fungus, Malassezia globosa, is the responsible agent. This fungus metabolizes triglycerides present in sebum by the expression of lipase, resulting in a lipid byproduct oleic acid (OA). Penetration by OA of the top layer of the epidermis, the stratum corneum, results in an inflammatory response in susceptible persons which disturbs homeostasis and results in erratic cleavage of stratum corneum cells5.  Dandruff (also called scurf and historically termed Pityriasis capitis) is due to the excessive shedding of dead skin cells from the scalp. As it is normal for skin cells to die and flake off, a small amount of flaking is normal and in fact quite common. Some people, however, either chronically or as a result of certain triggers, experience an unusually large amount of flaking, which can also be accompanied by redness and irritation. Most cases of dandruff can be easily treated with specialized shampoos. Dandruff is uncommon in children ages 2-10, but the incidence begins to rise precipitously as patients approach puberty. From that time, dandruff incidence rises even more rapidly until patients reach their early twenties, when it begins to fall. The number of affected people drops slowly until it becomes uncommon in middle-aged patients and the elderly6.  Dandruff is not an organism like lice; it is just dead skin that accumulates in the scalp. Dandruff is unlikely to be the cause of hair loss.


 

 


Table-1

Dandruff

affected

 area

Dandruff score

Ketoconazole (1%)

Piroctone olamine (1%)

Zinc pyrithium (1%)

Day-1

Day-8

Day-14

Day-1

Day-8

Day-14

Day-1

Day-8

Day-14

Frontal

2.83± 0.98

2.29±

1.02

1.99±

1.01

2.91± 0.77

2.69±

1.05

2.00±

0.93*

2.78± 0.98

2.09±

0.95

1.67±

1.01*

Temporal

2.56± 0.78

1.97±

1.10

1.89±

0.96

2.72± 0.95

2.08±

1.0

1.59±

0.82

2.77± 0.78

2.13±

1.12

1.77±

0.86*

Occipital

2.78± 1.12

2.56±

1.32

1.93±

1.14

2.32± 1.01

2.14±

1.13

1.96±

1.06

2.87± 1.12

2.45±

1.02

1.43±

0.74*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dandruff scores at three different sites for no contact period

The result has been analyzed by students ‘t’ test. P<0.05 has been considered as significant.*p<0.5, **p<0.1                  

 

Table-2

Dandruff scores at three different sites with a contact period of three minutes

Dandruff

affected

 area

Dandruff score

Ketoconazole (1%)

Piroctone olamine (1%)

Zinc pyrithium (1%)

Day-1

Day-8

Day-14

Day-1

Day-8

Day- 14

Day-1

Day-8

Day-14

Frontal

2.99± 1.10

2.13±

0.98

1.05±

0.95*

2.76± 0.92

1.23±

0.81

1.01±

0.35*

2.61± 0.87

1.67±

0.57*

1.34±

0.79*

Temporal

2.74± 0.85

1.82±

0.89**

1.15±

0.71**

2.15± 0.95

1.78±

0.65*

1.00±

0.76**

2.81± 1.07

2.10±

0.86

1.23±

0.82*

Occipital

2.83± 0.97

2.06±

1.12

1.25±

0.80*

2.49± 0.89

1.64±

0.93*

0.93±

0.42*

2.87± 0.99

1.34±

1.00

0.91±

0.56**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The result has been analyzed by students ‘t’ test. P<0.05 has been considered as significant. *p<0.5, **p<0.1

 

Table-3

Profile of untoward effects due to application of antidandruff shampoo

Events

No contact period

3 min contact period

Number of patients

Percentage (%)

Number of patients

Percentage (%)

Irritation

01

6.6

--

--

Itching increased

--

--

--

--

Burning

--

--

01

6.6

Loss of hair

--

--

01

6.6

Dryness of hair

02

13.3

02

13.3

Total

03

19.9

06

26.5

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dandruff is a global phenomenon and many people find that dandruff can cause social or self-esteem problems. Treatment may be important purely for psychological reasons.

 

The common preparations for the treatment of dandruff include Ketoconazole, Itraconazole, selenium, Zinc pyrithione, sulfur and Piroctone olamine..These agents also remove loosely attached scales from the scalp. Various studies have reported management of dandruff7, 8. In this study 1% Ketoconazole, 1% Piroctone olamine and 1% Zinc pyrithione have been separately formulated with shampoo base and used. This study has been performed to identify the potential role of contact period on efficacy of anti-dandruff shampoo.

 

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Material

All the chemicals were procured from Central Drug House (P) Ltd, Valsad, Gujarat through Jay appliances, Bhilainagar (CG).

 

Preparation of shampoo

1% Ketoconazole, 1% Zinc pyrithione and 1% Piroctone olamine were individually dispensed in a shampoo base9.

 

Method of study

Study was conducted on college students. General examination of the subjects was done for their inclusion in study. Students with history of hypersensitivity to shampoos, and those with dermatitis or other skin diseases were not included in the study. A preliminary examination of dandruff was done with the subjects. They were divided broadly into three different groups each with ten subjects. Each group was divided into two subgroups one of which were asked to rinse the shampoo immediately after application (0min contact period) and the other subgroup was asked to rinse after three minutes of contact period (3 mins contact period). Grading of dandruff was done in three regions of scalp (frontal, temporal and occipital) and dandruff scores were given as follows:

               0-2=none/slight

               3-4=mild

               5-6=moderate

               7-8=marked

               9-10=severe

Patients were asked to use the shampoo once in two days for a period of two weeks. They were asked to wash the scalp with warm water and apply good quantity of shampoo to produce sufficient lather. A massage of 3 minutes was advised for one subgroup. Profile of untoward effects such as itching and erythema was also prepared and graded as:

               0=absent

               1=mild

               2=moderate

               3=severe.

Statistical analysis: Students ‘t’ test was used and results were expressed as Mean± SEM. P<0.5 was considered significant.

 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The patients selected were of age between 18-27 years. Both males and females were selected for the study. The duration of disease ranged from one month to three years.

Table-1 indicates the change in dandruff scores at three different regions of the scalp on first, eighth and fourteenth day of the study for patients with zero contact period of shampoo with the scalp. Fall in dandruff level was significant in frontal region for piroctone olamine treated group on fourteenth day of the study. For zinc pyrithione treated group the result was significant for all the three regions of scalp on fourteenth day (p<0.05). Ketoconazole did not exhibit any significant decrease in dandruff level.

 

Table-2 shows the change in dandruff scores at three sites with a contact period of three minutes. All the three treated groups showed significant decrease in dandruff score on eighth and fourteenth days of the study. The scores were significantly lower as compared with the scores of different treated with zero contact periods. Table-3 shows the profile of untoward events occurred in 19.9% of patients in the group with zero contact period, whereas in three minutes contact period group it was 26.5%. This difference between the two groups is not significant.

 

The effect of contact period of antidandruff shampoo on its efficacy has been studied in this study. Ketoconazole and Piroctone olamine belongs to the class of antifungal drugs11. They are believed to be active against Malassezia furfur which is closely associated with seborrhoeic dermatitis and dandruff. Zinc pyrithione possesses anti-mycotic property and is established for treatment of dandruff and other scalp conditions. Many marketed shampoos of zinc pyrithione 1% are available12, 13.

 

In this study both the zinc pyrithium and piroctone olamine showed better anti-dandruff properties than Ketoconazole. On a three minute contact period all the shampoos showed better results than without any contact period. All the three showed significant decrease (p<0.05 and p<0.1) in dandruff scores with a contact period of three minutes. With zero contact period of the anti dandruff shampoo the decrease in dandruff scores was less significant (p<0.05) that too on fourteenth day of the study. The untoward effect profile did not show any significant difference between the zero contact period group and three minute contact period group. Both the groups did not show any major untoward or adverse effects to the subjects. Thus it justifies that application of anti-dandruff shampoos with a contact period of three minutes is safe and more effective than the use of shampoo without any contact period.

 

REFERENCES

1.       Hay, R.; Brown, G.R. Dandruff and seborrhic dermatitis: causes and management, Clin Exp Dermatol, 22(1): 3-6 (1997)

2.       Tooley, P. Dandruff: An irritating problem. Practitioner, 234: 593-596 (1990)

3.       Gupta, A.K. Skin diseases associated with Malassezia species. J Am Acad Dermatol , 51(5): 785-798 (2004)

4.        Gupta, A.K.; Madzia, S.E.; Batra, R. Etiology and management of seborrhic dermatitis. Dermatology, 208: 89-93 (2004)

5.       Parry, M.; Sharpe, G. Seborrhic dermatitis is not caused by an altered immune response to Malassezia yeast. Br J Dermatol, 139(2): 254-63 (1998)

6.       Broberg, A. Pityrosporum ovale in healthy children, infantile seborrheic dermatitis and atopic dermatitis. Acta Derm Venereol, Suppl.1, 191: 1-47 (1995)

7.       Hingley, A.T. OTC options for controlling dandruff. FDA Consumer, 28(9): 25-27 (1994)

8.       Nowicki, R. Modern management of dandruff. Pol Merkur Lekarski, 20(115):121-4.

9.       Bhatia, S.C. Perfumes, soaps, detergents and cosmetics vol-II (perfumes and cosmetics), CBS, New Delhi (2001)

10.     Swaleshwarkar, S.N.; Salgaonkar, V; Oberoi, C. Multicenter, open-label, non-comparative study of a combination of polytar zinc pyrithione shampoo in the management of dandruff Indian J Dermatol Venerol Leprol,70: 25-28 (2004)

11.    Bulmer, A.C.; Bulmer, G.S. The anti-fungal action of dandruff shampoos. Mycopathologia, 147(2): 63-65 (1999)

12.    Franchimont, P.C.; Goffin, V; Decorix, J; Pierard, G.E. A multi centered randomized trial of ketoconazole2% and zinc pyrithione 1% shampoos in severe dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis. Skin pharmacol. Appl. Skin. Physiol. 15(6): 434-41. (2002)

13.    Rapaport, M. A randomized controlled clinical trial of four antidandruff shampoos. J. Int. Med. Res. 9(2): 152-156 (1981)

 

 

 

Received on 06.06.2009

Accepted on 15.06.2009     

© A&V Publication all right reserved

Research Journal . of Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms  and Technology. 1(1): July.-Aug. 2009, 38-40