Category
Applied
Description
Urushiol is an immunotoxic compound composed of a 3-substituted catechol and an alkyl side chain that contains 0-3 degrees of unsaturation. It is the substance in poison ivy that causes a negative response when it contacts skin. Commercial barrier creams currently exist that claim to protect the skin against urushiol but only serve to form a barrier between the oil and skin. This project aims to create a barrier cream that both forms a physical layer to protect the skin and neutralizes the urushiol as it sits on the cream. To neutralize the urushiol, it is proposed that either the alkyl side chain needs to be cleaved, its double bonds reduced, or the hydroxyl groups on the catechol need to be prevented from reacting.
Active Barrier Cream Against Poison Ivy (Urushiol)
Applied
Urushiol is an immunotoxic compound composed of a 3-substituted catechol and an alkyl side chain that contains 0-3 degrees of unsaturation. It is the substance in poison ivy that causes a negative response when it contacts skin. Commercial barrier creams currently exist that claim to protect the skin against urushiol but only serve to form a barrier between the oil and skin. This project aims to create a barrier cream that both forms a physical layer to protect the skin and neutralizes the urushiol as it sits on the cream. To neutralize the urushiol, it is proposed that either the alkyl side chain needs to be cleaved, its double bonds reduced, or the hydroxyl groups on the catechol need to be prevented from reacting.
