Investigation of the safety and efficacy of nacre for use in skin and wound repair

Nacre is used for cosmetic and medicinal purposes with limited evidence of efficacy and significant variation in its preparation for human use. This study developed a standardised protocol for the preparation of nacre and examined the toxicity and efficacy of nacre on skin cells in vitro. Although the inorganic and organic nacre components appeared safe for skin cells in vitro, the organic component of nacre was ineffective in wound healing assays. Nacre was shown to significantly increase collagen production and coherence in fibroblast culture in vitro. In conclusion, nacre is safe but its efficacy and use requires further evaluation.