DOES LOW MERCURY CONTAINING SKIN-LIGHTENING CREAM (FAIR & LOVELY) AFFECT THE KIDNEY, LIVER, AND BRAIN OF FEMALE MICE?
Abstract
Fair & Lovely is an over-the-counter skin-lightening cream sold widely in Saudi markets. Its mercury content is 0.304+/-0.316 microg/g, in the range of 0.102 to 0.775 microg/g. This study was designed to evaluate its toxic effects on mice. The cream was applied on mice for a period of 1 month at different intervals. Mercury levels were measured in the liver, kidney, and brain tissue samples of a total of 75 adult female CD1 mice by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer coupled to a Vapor Generator Accessory. The mean mercury concentrations in the tissues of the treated mice were 0.193+/-0.319 microg/g; whereas for the control group, it was 0.041 microg/g+/-0.041microg/g. While the kidney was found to have the highest mercury content, the brain was found to have the lowest content. Treated mice showed a significant reduction in body weight. Marked histological changes were clearly noted in the kidney and, to a lesser extent, in the brain and liver. These results indicate that although Fair & Lovely mercury content is less than the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) permissible limits histopathological changes in the brain, kidney, and liver tissues are evidence of its possible toxicity.
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Mercury levels as low as 0.319 μg/g in skin lightening creams have been found to cause histopathological changes to brain, liver and kidney tissue in mice.
“Mercury levels as low as 0.319 μg/g in skin lightening creams have been found to cause histopathological changes to brain, liver and kidney tissue in mice.31”
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Mohammed, T., Mohammed, E., & Bascombe, S. (2017) · Journal of Public Health Research · doi:10.4081/jphr.2017.1097 · Cited by 50 · see citing works
- Authors
- Al-Saleh, I., El-Doush, I., Shinwari, N., Al-Baradei, R., Khogali, F., & Al-Amodi, M.
- Affiliations
- Biological & Medical Research Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (SA)
- King Saud University (SA)
- Venue
- Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2005-01
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 11-29
- ISSN
- 1556-9527 (ISSN-L)
- 1556-9535
- OpenAlex
- W2019966525
- Cited by
- 27
- References
- 91
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 0.49
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Heavy Metal Exposure and Toxicity
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Mercury impact and mitigation studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Dermatology › Contact Dermatitis and Allergies
- Keywords
- skin bleaching creams, mercury, mercury toxicity, kidney, liver, brain, histopathology, weight loss, cosmetic safety, female mice
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