Regulations on animal testing for cosmetics are gaining momentum across the world. In this context, shortages of international RhE skin models can hold back the cosmetics industry in Korea. Korea, a major cosmetic exporter, needs to brace itself for s...
Regulations on animal testing for cosmetics are gaining momentum across the world. In this context, shortages of international RhE skin models can hold back the cosmetics industry in Korea. Korea, a major cosmetic exporter, needs to brace itself for such events by developing and validating alternative test models for use in the evaluation of new cosmetics ingredients and cosmetic products. To that end, conformity evaluation is necessary between the domestically developed RhE models and internationally adopted RhE models. The purpose of this study is to evaluate reliability of domestic RhE models to be used in preliminary evaluation study of new cosmetic ingredients and to develop a guideline that utilizes domestic RhE models for safety evaluation of cosmetics. In this research, we looked into the literature of RhE skin model studies at home and abroad, did histological and morphological studies, measured ET50 and IC50 and optical density of both positive/negative controls, and finally compared and analysed characteristics and barrier functions of RhE skin models. Skin irritation tests were carried out with the 20 reference chemicals recommended in the OECD Test Guideline 439 on both the domestic and abroad RhE skin models. We successfully completed optimization tests on two domestic and another two overseas models. In tests with the 20 reference chemicals described in OECD TG 439, the two overseas models showed sensitivity of 90-100% and specificity of 70% whereas. The two domestic models showed sensitivity of 70-90% and specificity of 60%. Even though the results of the latter two did not exactly correspond to the former two, deviations were mild. Protocols and SOPs developed with both domestic and overseas RhE models form the groundwork for validation studies in Korea and this alternative test method is expected to advance abilities in evaluating functional cosmetics.