Clinical Efficacy of Endocannabinoid-Mimetic Fatty Acid Amide as a Skin-Soothing Ingredient

Despite the potential benefits of cannabidiol as a skin-soothing ingredient, its regulatory status hampers its general use in cosmetic products in many countries. To develop an alternative to cannabidiol, fatty acid amide molecules mimicking the chemical structure of endocannabinoids were manufactured using a lipase-catalyzed process. A mixture of fatty acid amides from sunflower oil and 1-amino propan-3-ol was synthesized using an immobilized lipase reaction, and the activation of cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) was measured using a cAMP assay. The anti-inflammatory activity of the endocannabimimetic ingredients was evaluated in cultured human monocytes and ex vivo human skin explant models. A clinical study was conducted to address the skin hydration, skin barrier function, and skin redness, and the ratio of the interleukin-1-receptor antagonist (IL1-RA) to IL-1α in corneocytes, as a marker for skin sensitivity, were also measured. As a result, the activation of CB1R by endocannabimimetic ingredients was observed in cAMP assays, and a reduction in inflammatory responses by human monocytes induced by lipopolysaccharide treatment were also observed. External stress-induced inflammatory responses were reduced in ex vivo human skin explants. Improvements in skin hydration and barrier function were observed in a clinical study. A significant decrease in skin redness and the IL-1RA to IL-1α ratio was also observed. Endocannabimimetic ingredients, as alternatives to cannabidiol, can be used in skin-soothing cosmetics to increase skin hydration, improve skin barrier function, and reduce skin sensitivity.