musk and Dermatitis--Contact

The potential of 4 related nitro musk substances (musk tibetene, musk ketone, musk xylol, and musk moskene) to cause photoallergy, phototoxicity, and/or contact sensitivity was compared to that of musk ambrette, a known photoallergen. Musk ambrette caused a high incidence of photoallergy as indicated by the severity of the skin grades as compared to a control group. Musk tibetene and musk moskene were negative for phototoxicity, photoallergenicity and contact sensitivity under the test conditions. Musk xylol was shown to be a weak contact sensitizer. Musk ketone gave challenge responses suggestive of a weak phototoxin and a weak contact sensitizer. The latter was not affected by light exposure. These data suggest that except for musk ambrette, the nitro musks as a group do not have the potential to produce photoallergy. Some members of this type of perfume raw material could be classified as weak sensitizers (musk xylol, musk ketone) or weakly phototoxic (musk ketone). These latter biological qualities have not been expressed clinically.

Topics: Animals; Dermatitis, Contact; Dinitrobenzenes; Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; Guinea Pigs; Nitrobenzenes; Perfume; Photosensitivity Disorders

For qualitative and quantitative analysis of musk ambrette and 4 other nitromusk compounds (musk ketone, moskene, musk tibetine, musk xylene) thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) techniques were developed. By TLC a reasonable separation was obtained and the limit of detection was 2-5 x 10(-7) g. By HPLC the separation was even better and the limit of detection for musk ambrette was 2 x 10(-9) g. The correlation between the amount of musk ambrette/ketone and the HPLC peak was linear. The TLC and HPLC techniques were used to demonstrate the presence of nitromusks in several commercial products, mainly aftershave lotions and eau-de-toilettes preparations. By ultraviolet spectrophotometry, absorption spectra were studied for the nitromusk compounds. The absorption maximum for musk ambrette was at 264 nm, that for moskene at 253 nm. Photopatch testing was carried out in 13 patients photoallergic to musk ambrette. Only 3 patients also reacted to other nitromusks. Photoallergey to musk ketone and musk tibetine is reported for the first time.

Topics: Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Chromatography, Thin Layer; Dermatitis, Contact; Dinitrobenzenes; Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; Humans; Nitrobenzenes