Anti-Aging Efficacy of Melatonin-Based Cream: Clinical and Instrumental Skin Evaluation

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

This is a timely submission on the subject that is appropriate for the journal. However, the paper requires some revisions, see below.

Defined receptors for melatonin are only membrane bound MT1 and MT2 but not MT3. Both in the introduction and discussion add comprehensive review on this subject (Mol Cell Endocrinol 351:152-66, 2012)

The readers would appreciate most recent and most comprehensive review on melatonin functions in the skin (J Invest Dermatol 138:490-499, 2018).

Mention rapid metabolism of melatonin on systemic and local levels which have important phenotypic consequences (Exp Dermatol 26:563–568, 2017).

Can the authors also present the direct pictures of the face of the patients

When discussing photoprotective functions of melatonin mention that this also concerns its metabolites (J Pineal Res 57, 90-102, 2014;  Int J Mol Sci 15, 17705-17732, 2014; Sci Rep 2017;7(1):1274) and that UVB induced damage can be reversed by melatonin applied in organ culture (Skobowiat et al (2018) Melatonin and its derivatives counteract the ultraviolet B radiation-induced damage in human and porcine skin ex vivo. J Pineal Res 65(2):e12501. doi: 10.1111/jpi.12501.).

When mentioning melatonin mitochondria axis in the skin cite the proper review (Cell Mol Life Sci 74(21), 3913-3925, 2017).

Correct typographical errors.

Why reference are both cited by Arabic and roman numbers?

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

In their research paper "Anti-aging efficacy of melatonin-based cream: Clinical and instrumental skin evaluation", the authors described the effect of topical application of a melatonin preparation on short term aging parameters evaluated through clinical assays as well as a 3D device.

The results are convincing and the evaluation method is adequate however I have some comments:

- l4: delete MD and add affiliation numbers instead.

- Please provide a more complete description of Melatosphere product in methods. The description provide in the Study Aim part is not sufficient. You can provide a patent number for example.

- Please include the figures in the text as mentioned in the instructions for authors.

- Please provide the mandatory "author’s contribution statements" as well as "conflict of interest declaration" as indicated in the instructions for author’s recommendations

- Please format the references according to the instructions for author’s recommendations

 

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

This is an interesting paper, which will benefit from revisions.

 

1 - I have the impression that the authors are not familiar with the filed of melatonin and the skin. You need to cite following papers that show accumulation of melatonin and metabolites in the human skin in vivo (Melatonin and its metabolites accumulate in the human epidermis in vivo and inhibit proliferation and tyrosinase activity in epidermal melanocytes in vitro. Mol Cell Endocrinol 404, 1-8, 2015; ) N1-acetyl-5-methoxykynuramine (AMK) is produced in the human epidermis and shows anti-proliferative effects. Endocrinology 156: 1630–163, 2015). Also citeMelatonin-based Pickering emulsion for skin's photoprotection. Drug Delivery. 23: 1594-1607. doi: 10.3109/10717544.2015.1128496.

 

2-Did you used a control emulsion without melatonin? This work has lack of proper controls. 

3- Could the composition of the emulsion influence the results? Please clarify.

 

Minor revisions:

37 – add more recent studies

41 – stratum corneumin italic

48 – what is the type of the emulsion? w/o or o/w. Clarify in the manuscript 

50 – replace for “Glogau score of 2-4”

52-  replace evaluations by tests

70- 3136 mm2

 

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

The authors adequately replied to the critique and I am endorsing the paper. There are minor spelling errors. For example ref. XVIII .....

Suzuki, N., ... & Paus, R - the name is missing

Also why the citations are both in roman numbers and Arabic numbers.

Author Response

OK correct

Reviewer 2 Report

The authors have improved their work according to reviewer comments. 

This work can now be published in its present form. 

Author Response

OK tanks