title: Anti-Acne Activity of Italian Medicinal Plants Used for Skin Infection.
abstract: Propionibacterium acnesis implicated in the pathogenesis of acne vulgaris, which impacts >85% of teenagers. Novel therapies are in high demand and an ethnopharmacological approach to discovering new plant sources of anti-acne therapeutics could contribute to filling this void in effective therapies. The aims of our study were two-fold: (1) To determine if species identified in ethnopharmacological field studies as having traditional uses for skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI) exhibit significantly more activity againstP. acnesthan species with no such reported use; and (2) Chemically characterize active extracts and assess their suitability for future investigation. Extracts of Italian medicinal (for acne and other skin infection) and randomly collected plants and fungi were screened for growth-inhibitory and anti-biofilm activity inP. acnesusing broth microdilution methods. Bioactive extracts were chemically characterized by HPLC and examined for cytotoxicity against human keratinocytes (HaCaTs). Following evaluation of 157 extracts from 10 fungi and 58 plants, we identified crude extracts from seven species exhibiting growth inhibitory activity (MICs 64-256 μg mL-1). All active extracts were examined for cytotoxicity against HaCaTs; extracts from one fungal and one plant species were toxic (IC50256 μg mL-1). HPLC analysis with chemical standards revealed many of these extracts contained chlorogenic acid, p-coumaric acid, ellagic acid, gallic acid, and tannic acid. In conclusion, species used in traditional medicine for the skin exhibited significantly greater (p< 0.05) growth inhibitory and biofilm eradication activity than random species, supporting the validity of an ethnobotanical approach to identifying new therapeutics. The anti-acne activity of three extracts is reported for the first time:Vitis viniferaleaves,Asphodelus microcarpusleaves, andVicia sativaaerial parts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: Center for the Study of Human Health, Emory University College of Arts and Sciences Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: James T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Lyles
authors.affiliation: Center for the Study of Human Health, Emory University College of Arts and Sciences Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Tracy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, Università Degli Studi di Palermo Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saitta
authors.affiliation: Center for the Study of Human Health, Emory University College of Arts and Sciences Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Addie-Noye
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Emory University College of Arts and Sciences Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tyler
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Emory University School of MedicineAtlanta, GA, USA; Center for the Study of Human Health, Emory University College of Arts and SciencesAtlanta, GA, USA; Antibiotic Resistance Center, Emory UniversityAtlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Cassandra L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Quave
keywords: Propionibacterium acnes; acne; antibiotics; antimicrobials; biofilms; ethnopharmacology; medicinal plants