Susceptibility of Propionibacterium acnes, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis to 10 Kampo formulations.
We examined the in vitro sensitivities of three bacteria: Propionibacterium acnes, and Staphylococcus epidermidis, commonly detected in acne lesions, and Staphylococcus aureus, a common cause of skin infections, to 10 Kampo formulations (Chinese herbal medicines; combinations of powdered extracts of crude drugs). Both Staphylococcus species showed similar sensitivities to all 10 formulations, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 25 to 400 mg/ml. P. acnes, however, was particularly sensitive to one formulation, keigai-rengyo-to (MIC, 0.78-25 mg/ml), prompting speculation that it might contain components with strong antibacterial activity to P. acnes. P. acnes showed similar sensitivities to all the other formulations (MIC 6.25-200 mg/ml). The ranges of MICs and the MIC50S (concentrations that inhibit 50% of isolates) were very similar to those previously recorded in 1990 for the two Staphylococcus species.
Higaki
S
S
Division of Dermatology, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Japan.
Morimatsu
S
S
Morohashi
M
M
Yamagishi
T
T
Hasegawa
Y
Y
D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000382:microbiology; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000382:microbiology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011425:Propionibacterium acnes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal