Published in:Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Language:
English
DOI:
10.1155/2020/3231413
ISSN:
1741-427X;
1741-4288
Origination:
Footnote:
Description:
<jats:p>The present<jats:italic>in vitro</jats:italic>and randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial aims to determine the efficacy and safety of nine Mediterranean antiacne medicinal plants. The antimicrobial, antisebum, and anti-inflammatory activities of the plant extracts were evaluated in cells from the immortalized human keratinocytes (HaCaT) and human monocytic cell line (THP-1) as well as in a double-blind, randomized, and placebo‐controlled trial. Most of the extracts showed no significant cytotoxic effects on HaCaT cells up to 250 <jats:italic>μ</jats:italic>g/ml.<jats:italic>Inula helenium</jats:italic>(IH) and<jats:italic>Saponaria officinalis</jats:italic>(SO) inhibited sebum production at 90 <jats:italic>μ</jats:italic>g/ml and 30 <jats:italic>μ</jats:italic>g/ml, respectively. The inhibition effect of SO on the growth of<jats:italic>Cutibacterium acnes</jats:italic>was 1.2 times higher than that of chloramphenicol. IH and SO extracts significantly inhibited the lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced IL-6 and TNF-<jats:italic>α</jats:italic>production in THP-1 cells reaching the control levels of untreated cells at a concentration of 250 <jats:italic>μ</jats:italic>g/ml. SO, IH, and<jats:italic>Solanum nigrum</jats:italic>(SN) extracts inhibited the nitric oxide (NO) production in a dose-dependent manner. Based on these results, an antiacne herbal cream (AHC) was prepared from different portions of extracts from SO, IH, and SN, and its efficacy was evaluated in a double-blind, randomized, and controlled efficacy study with 41 acne patients, ages 18–24, who were asked to apply AHC (<jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 27) or a placebo (<jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 14) two to three times daily for six weeks. Results obtained indicate that the AHC has unique synergistic effects that halt sebum production, combined with highly antiseptic and anti-inflammatory activity, in which 54.95% (<jats:italic>t</jats:italic> = 19.37<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M1"><mml:mi>P</mml:mi><mml:mo><</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.001</mml:mn></mml:math>) of acne inflammatory and noninflammatory lesions disappeared after two weeks, 85.3%, after five weeks (<jats:italic>t</jats:italic> = 14.19<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M2"><mml:mi>P</mml:mi><mml:mo><</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.001</mml:mn></mml:math>), and 91.4%, at the end of the sixth week of application (<jats:italic>t</jats:italic> = 5.7<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M3"><mml:mi>P</mml:mi><mml:mo><</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.001</mml:mn></mml:math>). In conclusion, SO, IH, and SN as single extracts and in combination as AHC showed significant antimicrobial, antisebum, and anti-inflammatory activities<jats:italic>in vitro</jats:italic>and in a double-blind, randomized, and controlled antiacne efficacy. Therefore, AHC represents an interesting alternative treatment for acne.</jats:p>