Lipid peroxides and superoxide dismutase (SOD) induction in skin inflammatory diseases, and treatment with SOD preparations.

In the skin ulcer or severely inflamed and erosive lesions induced due to burn, wounds and other dermatitides, lipid peroxides were markedly increased, with resultant cytotoxic effects in situ. Generally, superoxide dismutase (SOD), which scavenges oxygen radicals or inhibits lipid peroxidation, is adapted to be induced (increased) under oxygen toxicity. For the treatment of not only systemic inflammatory diseases but also skin ulcer lesions, especially due to burn and wounds, liposomal-encapsulated SOD injection was effective. Topical application of free Mn-SOD or Cu, Zn-SOD extracted from bovine, bacterial and other species except for human was also dramatically effective in skin lesions; a burnt patient who was advised to undergo skin transplantation showed complete healing with free SOD cream. In addition, topical application of low molecular weight antioxidants, AOA or Bio-harmony, also showed remarkable effectiveness in these skin lesions. However, SOD dissolved in the vehicle containing greater amounts of vaselinum album (white petrolatum) rapidly lost its activity, and that dissolved in the vehicle with large quantities of water lost its activity within 3 months. In conclusion, SOD should be dissolved in the vehicle before use, however, low molecular weight antioxidant cream can be commercially sold because it does not lose its activity for long periods.