Safety and Efficacy of Tripalmitoleoylglycerol in the Treatment of Dermatitis

A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Tripalmitoleoylglycerol for the Treatment of Dermatitis.

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of topical palmitoleic acid glyceride supplementation in improving skin barrier impairment associated with chronic dermatitis, with a particular focus on the interaction between physical activity, skin microbiota, and lipid metabolism.

Emerging evidence suggests that regular physical activity reshapes the skin microenvironment, including alterations in sebaceous lipid composition and enrichment of Staphylococcus epidermidis, which possesses lipase activity capable of metabolizing glycerides into bioactive fatty acids. Palmitoleic acid, a key lipid metabolite derived from palmitoleic acid glycerides, has demonstrated anti-inflammatory and barrier-protective properties in preclinical and clinical settings. However, it remains unclear whether restoring exercise-associated lipid metabolites through topical application can improve skin barrier dysfunction in individuals with chronic dermatitis, and whether physical activity status modifies therapeutic efficacy.

Research Objectives：

1. Does topical application of low-concentration palmitoleic acid glyceride improve skin barrier function, as measured by transepidermal water loss (TEWL), in individuals with chronic dermatitis?
2. Does physical activity status influence the therapeutic response to palmitoleic acid glyceride treatment?
3. Are improvements in skin barrier function associated with changes in skin microbiota composition, microbial lipase activity, and lipid metabolism at the skin surface?

Study Design and Group Allocation：

Eligible male/female participants aged 18-59 years with clinical manifestations of chronic dermatitis and evidence of skin barrier impairment will be enrolled. Based on metabolic equivalents (MET) levels outside of daily living activities, participants will be divided into sedentary group and exercise group. Within each stratum, participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either topical palmitoleic acid glyceride or placebo, resulting in four study groups:

1. Inactive Placebo Group: No regular physical activity; topical placebo.
2. Inactive Intervention Group: No regular physical activity; topical tripalmitoleoylglycerol.
3. Active Placebo Group: Regular physical activity; topical placebo.
4. Active Intervention Group: Regular physical activity; topical tripalmitoleoylglycerol.

Participant Procedures：

1. Daily topical application of either 0.5% tripalmitoleoylglycerol or placebo to a predefined skin lesion area for 7 consecutive days.
2. Non-invasive assessment of skin barrier function, including TEWL measurements, at baseline and after completion of the intervention.
3. Clinical evaluation of skin symptoms, including erythema, scaling, and pruritus, using standardized scoring systems (PASI or SCORAD, as appropriate).
4. Collection of skin swab samples for microbiome and metabolomic analyses to assess microbial lipase activity and palmitoleic acid production.
5. A subset of participants will undergo skin biopsy for histological and immunohistochemical analyses.
6. Weekly follow-up assessments to monitor treatment adherence and record any adverse events, particularly local skin reactions.

This study seeks to elucidate a novel exercise-microbiota-lipid axis in skin barrier regulation and to provide translational evidence for metabolite-based therapeutic strategies in chronic inflammatory skin diseases.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Skin Barrier to Water Loss; PASI /SCORAD Index
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Placebo topical intervention; Other: 0.5% Tripalmitoleoylglycerol topical intervention

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 46
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• China
  • Guangdong
    • Shenzhen, Guangdong, China, 518000
      • Department of Dermatology, Shenzhen People's Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria：

1. Participants were classified into two groups based on their self-reported levels of physical activity (quantified in metabolic equivalent minutes per week [MET-min/week]): the non-exercising group (MET = 0): individuals who reported no moderate- or vigorous-intensity physical activity beyond activities of daily living. In this context, a value of 0 MET-min/week indicates that no structured or intentional exercise exceeding the threshold of basal metabolic rate was performed. Exercise group (MET > 0): This group includes any individual who engages in at least some level of physical activity, with a calculated MET-min/week value greater than 0.
2. Presence of clinical manifestations of skin barrier impairment, such as skin dryness, erythema, scaling, or pruritus;
3. Voluntary participation with full understanding of the study and provision of written informed consent;
4. Age between 18 and 59 years, with generally good health status;
5. No use of any medications or probiotic treatments within the past 6 months;

Exclusion Criteria：

1. History of allergy or known hypersensitivity to probiotics, placebo, or investigational products;
2. Presence severe systemic diseases;
3. Pregnant or breastfeeding women;
4. Use of medications that may affect skin barrier function, such as corticosteroids or immunosuppressive agents;
5. Any other condition deemed inappropriate for study participation by the investigators, including but not limited to participants considered unreliable or unable to understand or comply with study assessments

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Placebo Comparator: Arm 1: Sedentary + Placebo; Population/behavior: Sedentary (no regular exercise habit, MET-min/week=0); Topical treatment: Placebo topical formulation; Duration: 7 days (topical once daily)	Other: Placebo topical intervention; Placebo topical intervention applied continuously for 7 days (once daily).
Experimental: Arm 2: Sedentary + Tripalmitoleoylglycerol; Population/behavior: Sedentary (no regular exercise habit, MET-min/week=0); Topical treatment: 0.5% Tripalmitoleoylglycerol topical formulation; Duration: 7 days (topical once daily)	Other: 0.5% Tripalmitoleoylglycerol topical intervention; 0.5% Tripalmitoleoylglycerol topical intervention applied continuously for 7 days (once daily).
Experimental: Arm 3: Exercise + Placebo; Population/behavior: Regular aerobic exercise habit, , MET-min/week>0; Topical treatment: Placebo topical formulation; Duration: 7 days (topical once daily)	Other: Placebo topical intervention; Placebo topical intervention applied continuously for 7 days (once daily).
Experimental: Arm 4: Exercise + Tripalmitoleoylglycerol; Population/behavior: Regular aerobic exercise habit, , MET-min/week>0; Topical treatment: 0.5% Tripalmitoleoylglycerol topical formulation; Duration: 7 days (topical once daily)	Other: 0.5% Tripalmitoleoylglycerol topical intervention; 0.5% Tripalmitoleoylglycerol topical intervention applied continuously for 7 days (once daily).

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
1. Mean change in transepidermal water loss (TEWL, g/h/m²) from baseline to Day 7 at the intervention site	Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) will be assessed on the marked lesion area using a Tewameter (TM300) under standardized environmental conditions (controlled temperature and humidity). At each assessment, TEWL will be measured at three predefined points within the intervention area, and the mean value will be calculated. The primary outcome is defined as the mean change in TEWL (g/h/m²) from baseline (Day 0) to Day 7 after intervention. Lower TEWL values indicate improved skin barrier function.	Baseline (Day 0) through Day 7 after intervention
2. Mean change in PASI score or SCORAD index from baseline to Day 7	Description: Clinical severity of dermatitis will be evaluated in the intervention area by trained investigators using standardized scoring systems. Psoriasis patients will be assessed using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). Atopic dermatitis patients will be assessed using the SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) index. The outcome is defined as the change in PASI or SCORAD score from baseline (Day 0) to Day 7 after intervention, reflecting improvement in erythema, scaling, and pruritus.	Baseline (Day 0) through Day 7 after intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
3. Change in skin surface lipase activity and palmitoleic acid levels from baseline to Day 7 assessed by skin swab metabolomics	Skin swab samples will be collected from the intervention site in both sedentary and exercise groups at baseline and after intervention. Targeted metabolomic analyses will be performed to evaluate skin surface lipase activity and the metabolism of glycerides into palmitoleic acid. The outcome is defined as the change in skin surface lipase activity and palmitoleic acid levels between baseline and post-intervention.	Baseline (Day 0) through Day 7 after intervention
4. Change in expression levels of inflammatory and skin barrier markers in skin biopsy samples assessed by immunohistochemistry	Skin biopsy samples (3-4 mm) will be obtained from a subset of participants (3-4 individuals per group) in both sedentary and exercise groups. Immunohistochemical staining will be performed to assess changes in inflammatory markers and skin barrier-related proteins. This outcome is exploratory and intended to support mechanistic interpretation of clinical findings.	Day 7 after intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Shenzhen People's Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 10, 2026
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 5, 2026
• Study Completion (Actual): March 8, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 17, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 17, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): January 26, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 6, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 31, 2026
• Last Verified: March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: LL-KY-2025270-02; 82372532, 82202468 (Other Grant/Funding Number: National Natural Science Foundation of China)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No