Urea applications in dermatology

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Urea is an important organic substance involved in various processes of the human body. Its role has been proven in maintaining the epidermal skin barrier, urea is a component of the natural moisturizing factor — NMF, and urea is an organic substance found in human tissues, blood and urine. The amount of urea in the human body normally reaches 2%. In dermatology and cosmetology, urea is widely used due to its keratolytic and moisturizing effect, it retains its absorbent and antiseptic properties for a long time. The keratolytic effect is due to its proteolytic properties: it damages desmosomes that bind keratinocytes, destroys hydrogen bonds that maintain the integrity of the stratum corneum, and the thickness of the epidermis; increases the permeability of the epithelial layer of the skin. The moisturizing effect is due to the hygroscopicity of urea molecules: it draws water into the epidermis from the dermis, reduces transepidermal water losses, softens the skin, and increases its elasticity. Urea has not only pronounced humectant properties, but is a highly active compound that actively affects the formation and functioning of the epidermal barrier, increases the activity of sphingolipid metabolism enzymes, promotes the production of antimicrobial peptides by keratinocytes and stimulates epidermal differentiation, influencing the mRNA expression of certain genes responsible for protein synthesis involucrin, loricrin, filaggrin. A new direction is the combination of topical corticosteroid drugs with urea, thereby providing a hydrating and conductive effect of the active drug. Urea is also part of emollients, providing a pronounced moisturizing effect on the epidermis, and it is the combination of drugs that can significantly expand the range of indications in dermatology, which makes it possible to act on several pathogenetic factors at once in the treatment of various chronic skin diseases. The article presents historical and modern both domestic and foreign data on the experience and effectiveness of the use of urea in the treatment of various dermatoses, accompanied by hyperkeratosis and a violation of the integrity of the epidermal barrier

Keywords:

urea

epidermal barrier

atopic dermatitis

psoriasis

methylprednisolone aceponate

emollients

Authors:

Kovaleva Ju.S.

Altay State Medical University

SPIN RSCI: 4557-2065
Scopus AuthorID: 57220055917
ORCID: 0000-0002-4401-3722

Kokina O.A.

Altay State Medical University

Vedler A.A.

Altay State Medical University

Kozhevnikova P.E.

Altay State Medical University

Received:

01.06.2020

Accepted:

23.07.2020

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