Zakir Sultan, Ki-Moo Lee, S. Moon
Mar 31, 2009
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Influential Citations
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Journal
Oriental Pharmacy and Experimental Medicine
Abstract
SUMMARY The antibacterial activity-guided fractionation of the MeOH extract of seeds of traditionalmedicinal plant Prunus japonica resulted in the isolation of linoleic acid and cis-11-eicosenoicacids, and their methyl esters. Linoleic acid inhibited the growth of Propionibacterium acnes, theacne-causing anaerobic bacterium, but cis-11-eicosenoic acid, methyl linoleate, and cis-11-eicosenoate were found to be inactive. Together with isolated linoleic acid, authentic saturatedand unsaturated fatty acids were also tested against P. acnes with other bacteria and fungi. Most of theunsaturated fatty acids possessed anti-acne (MIC 16-128 µg/mL) and antimicrobial properties.Key words: Propionibacterium acnes ; Prunus japonica ; Rosaceae; fatty acids; antibacterial; antifungal INTRODUCTION Acne vulgaris is the most common skin diseasethat is characterized by open and closed comedones,papules, pustules, and nodules (Burkhart et al.,1999). It has been recognized that Propionibacteriumacnes, an anaerobic non-spore-forming gram-positive bacillus, is thought to play an importantrole for the inflammation of acnes (Leyden, 1995).Inhibition of P. acnes growth could be one of theeffective strategies for the prevention of acnevulgaries. Benzoyl peroxide, isotretinoin, tetracycline,erythromycin, and clindamycine are topically-applicable and/or systemically-administrable agentsfor effective treatments of acnes (Bershad, 2001).However, indiscriminating use of antibioticsagainst P. acnes is often causing the bacterium todevelop drug-resistance (Eady et al., 2003; Swanson,2003). Hence, plant extracts or plant-derived compounds(herbal remedies) would be alternatives for acnetreatments as antiseptics and antimicrobial agents(Eady et al., 2003; Barbour et al., 2004; Chomnawang etal., 2005; Weckesser et al., 2007).In search for antibacterial compounds against P.acnes from Korean medicinal plants (Moon et al.,2004; Sultan et al., 2008), methanolic extracts of over200 plants were tested using disc diffusion assaymethod against P. acnes. Around 10% of the testedplants such as Salvia miltorrhiza (Labiatae), Echinopssetifer (Compositae), Pinus densiflora (Pinaceae), andAsarum sieboldii (Aristolochiaceae) were found tobe active at 500