Egyptian eye makeup protected from infections

2010/02/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Kimika

Research published in the journal Analytical Chemistry states that the black line that adorned the eyes of the Egyptians helped protect them from eye diseases.

To reach this conclusion, several chemists from the French CNRS analyzed the makeup of some works of art at the Louvre Museum in Paris. In the make-up they found two unnatural lead salts synthesized by the Egyptians themselves. It was thought that lead had the ability to cure diseases.

At first this caused the surprise of the chemicals. In fact, being toxic lead, these compounds can be considered harmful to health. Thus, French chemists analyzed the influence of these compounds on cells and observed that the production of nitric oxide increases considerably. Nitric oxide stimulates the immune system thus contributing to fight bacteria that cause eye infections.