In vitro assessment of some deodorant ingredients and determination of malodor inhibiting potentials of ascorbic acid, orlistat and mastic gum

Axillary microbial flora has a role in sweat odor formation by transformation of odorless natural secretions into volatile odorous molecules. From 190 axillary isolates obtained from healthy volunteers, 97 isolates, representing three genera; Stahylococcus (39), Micrococcus (13), Corynebacterium (45) were screened for their ability to produce malodorous metabolites from testosterone oenanthate ester andhydroxyprogesterone caproate by sensory, and chromatographic assessments. Only lipophilic Corynebacteriumspp(C. jeikeium and C. macginleyi ) and Staphylococcus capitisisolates were able to metabolize testosterone and hydroxy progesterone esters, with malodorous metabolites from the former only.Quantification of the yield of conversion of substrates into metabolites by the action of C. jeikeium was carried out using gas chromatography/mass spectrometryGC/MS. The odourous metabolites are suspected to be Androstadienone and 5-α-dihydrotestosterone, based on mass spectra and previously reported data. The effect of some selected material as potential deodorants on such metabolic activities was studied. In the absence of inhibitor, 99.6% of testosterone ester substrate was converted into metabolites. Ascorbic acid and orlistat dramatically inhibited testosterone ester metabolism allowing only 6.9 %, and 0.6 %conversion, respectively. While mastic gum allowed 84.3% conversion, no malodor was observed. These three components have the potentials to be used as deodorants. INTRODUCTION Overproduction of sweat, sweaty skin and body odors are unpleasant for many social groups. Deodorants are designed to combat malodor generated from bacterially modified sweat. Sweat is normally a clear odorless liquid containing odorless C3-fatty acid [(iso) butyric acid, isovaleric acid and propionic acid] triglycerides, which liberate odorous free fatty acid upon hydrolysis by bacterial esterases (Holzle, 2002; Pierard et al., 2003). Androgenic steroids such as 16 androstenes, 5α-androstenol and 5αandrostenone secreted as odorless soluble salts are liberated by hydrolytic ßlyaseexoenzymes of bacteria as odorous volatile steroids (Gower et al., 1997 a; Starkenmann et al., 2013; Zeng et al., 1991; Zeng et al., 1992). Although the antimicrobials commonly employed as axillary deodorants have excellent safety profiles (Bhargava and Leonard, 1996), it has been argued that disruption or modification of this normal skin flora may predispose to opportunistic infections (Leyden et al., 1987). Furthermore, concerns aboutthe spread of resistant subpopulations of bacteria and about the release of antimicrobials into the environment have effectively precluded the widespread use of these agents in some European countries. For these reasons there have been very real demands for effective non-antimicrobial routes to underarm deodorancy. A number of approaches have been attempted to interfere with the bio-transformational steps leading to the production of odorous compounds. The present study aims to screen for and evaluate the malodor inhibiting ability of some ingredients of deodorant formulation and some chemicals or natural products for their potential deodorant activities. Zagazig J. Pharm. Sci. June, 2014 Vol. 23, Issue. 1, pp, 44-57 MATERIALS and METHODS Specimens collection Axillary swabs obtained by rubbing sterile cotton swab against the axilla were collected from adult volunteers, who were receiving no medication or using any form deodorants or antiperspirants prior to specimen collection with at least forty eight hours (American Society for Testing and Materials; ASTM 1988). The swabs were immediately cultured on selective and nonselective media (Haustien 1993) and the isolates were identified according to Koneman et al. (1997a Screening for malodor producing isolates Fifteen milliliters Trypticase soy broth medium (Oxoid, Basingstoke, Hampshire-England) containing 0.1% Tween 80 and 5 mg/ml of steroid substrate (testosterone oenanthate, or hydroxy progesterone caproate)in 100inoculated with 100 μl of inoculum of approximately 10 froman overnight culture in Trypticase soy broth. Controls without substrate, uninoculated reaction mixture media were run in parallel with the test. All flasks were incubated with shaking at 220-250 rpm/min at 37°C in a shaking water bath for 72 hours (Austin and Ellis, 2003). Cultures were inspected for malodor production by sensory assessme and subjected to thin layer chromatography (TLC) chromatography–mass (GC/MS) analysis. Screening for malodor producing isolates by sensory assessment Assessment of malodor production from testosterone oenanthate as a steroidal substrate was based on the in vitro production model describedby Froebe al., (1990) and Rennie et al., smelling the odor of the blinded cultures and controls by a panel of two or three judges and each was given a description according to the presence and intensity of malodor produced. ISSN 1110-5089