ANTIOXIDANTS IN IMMUNITY 107 (8) (9) (lO) (11) (12) (13) (14) cutaneous immune response following topical application of the prostaglandin PGE2, Cell Immunol., 106, 33-42 (1987). V. B. Morhenn, C. J. Benike, D. J. Charron, A. Cox, G. Mahrle, G. S. Ward, and E. B. Engle- man, Use of the fluorescence-activated cel sorter to quantirate and enrich for subpopulations of human skin cells, J. Invest. Dermatol., 79, 277-282 (1982). G. Cardier, C. Dezuttev-Dambuyant, R. LeFebure, and D. Schmitt, Flow cytometry sorting of unlabeled epidermal Langerhans cells using forward and orthogonal light properties, J, Immunol. Methods, 79, 79-88 (1985). J. J. Nordlund, Chemical agents which mimic the effects of ultraviolet radiation on the epidermis: A possible role for oxidation of arachidonic acid on expression of surface markers on epidermal cells, in The Effect of Radiation of the Immune System, J. Parrish, ed. (Johnson &Johnson Baby Products and New Mexico Health Coalition, 1983), pp. 161-180. D. L. Archer, J. A. Weiss, and B. G. Smith, Inhibitory effect of an antioxidant, butylated hydroxy- anisol, on the primary in vivo immune response. Proc. Soc. Exper. Biol. Med., 154, 289-294 (1977). D. L. Archer and J. A. Weiss, Chemical dissection of the primary and secondary in vivo antibody responses with butylated hydroxyanisole and gallic acid, Drug Chem. Toxicol., 2, 155-166 (1979). D. L. Archer, J. A. Weiss, and B. G. Smith, Suppression of macrophage-dependent T-lymphocyte function(s) by gallic acid, a food additive metabolite, Proc, Soc. Exper. Biol. Med., 156, 456-469 (1977). I. Lang, K. McKam, R. G. Cabella, P. Cergeley, and P. Feher, Immunosuppressive effect ofantioxi- dants. 6th International Congress of Immunology, Toronto, Canada, 608 (abstr.)(1986).

J. Soc. Cosmet. Chem., 40, 109-117 (March/April 1989) The role of the resident microflora in the pathogenesis of dandruff D. SAINT-LEGER, A. M. KLIGMAN, and T. J. STOUDEMAYER, Laboratoires de Recherche de L'Ordal, Dgpartement de Biophysique, 93601 Aulnay-Sous-Bois, France (D.So -L. ), Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (A.M.K.), and Biosearch, Inc., 3408-50 B Street, Philadelphia, PA 19134 (T.J.S. ). Received November 29, 1988. Synopsis Current thinking implicates P. ovale as the cause of dandruff the condition invariably resolves when this yeast is suppressed. However, P. acnes and coagulase-negative cocci are also abundant on the scalp. A contributory role for those members of the resident microflora has not been ruled out. We used a new technique to collect and weigh scales. We have determined the percentage of nucleated cells in scales, a measure of inflammation. The density of P. acnes, P. ovale and cocci were followed during and after treatment with antibacterial solutions and two anti-fungal shampoos, Octopirox © and Magnesium Oma- dine © . The level of dandruff could not be correlated with changes in the numbers of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. We concluded that resident bacteria probably play no role in the etiology of dandruff. Octopirox © shampoo was more efficacious than Magnesium Omadine © in reducing scaling and P. ovale. While P. ovale is necessary, Koch's postulates have not been fulfilled. The cause(s) of drandruff is (are) still unknown. INTRODUCTION The modern method of treating dandruff with antifungal shampoos grew out of demon- strations that the active ingredients inhibited the resident yeast, P. ovale, in vitro and in vivo (1-4). Scales, the sole manifestation of the disorder, practically disappear whenever P. ovale is eradicated. When treatment stops, the return of scaling parallels the restora- tion of P. ovale. A single discordant result from the University of Pennsylvania group was technically flawed in using a pharmaceutically questionable formulation of ampho- tericin (5). The data base strongly suggests that P. ovale is the determinant causal factor in dandruff, a position vividly championed by Shuster (6). Still, Koch's postulates have not been fulfilled. In one of these postulates, the pathogenicity (distinct from an adven- titious form) is strictly defined by the fact that the "microbe" is found in a lesion. It 109