AUTHOR=Pineau Rozenn M. , Hanson Sarah E. , Lyles James T. , Quave Cassandra L. 

TITLE=Growth Inhibitory Activity of Callicarpa americana Leaf Extracts Against Cutibacterium acnes

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2019.01206

DOI=10.3389/fphar.2019.01206

ISSN=1663-9812

ABSTRACT=<p>Acne vulgaris is a common skin disease affecting adolescents and young adults of all ethnic groups, negatively impacting self-esteem, self-confidence, and social life. The Gram-positive bacteria <italic>Cutibacterium acnes</italic> colonizes the sebum-rich follicle and contributes to inflammation of the pilosebaceous gland. Long-term antibiotic therapies targeting <italic>C. acnes</italic> lead to the development of antimicrobial resistance, and novel acne vulgaris therapies are needed. This study investigated the <italic>C. acnes</italic> inhibitory activity of <italic>Callicarpa americana</italic> leaves, a native Southeastern United States shrub historically used by Native Americans to treat fever, stomachache, and pruritis. Flash chromatography fractions of the ethyl acetate-soluble <italic>C. americana</italic> ethanol leaf extract (649C-F9 and 649C-F13) exhibited MICs ranging from 16 to 32 µg ml<sup>−1</sup> and IC<sub>50</sub> range of 4–32 μg ml<sup>−1</sup> against a panel of 10 distinct <italic>C. acnes</italic> isolates. Cytotoxicity against an immortalized human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaTs) skin was detected at more than eight times the dose required for growth inhibitory activity (IC<sub>50</sub> of 256 μg ml<sup>−1</sup> for 649C-F9 and IC<sub>50</sub> of &gt;512 μg ml<sup>−1</sup> for 649C-F13). This work highlights the potential of <italic>C. americana</italic> leaf extracts as a cosmeceutical ingredient for the management of acne vulgaris. Further research is necessary to assess its mechanism of action and <italic>in vivo</italic> efficacy.</p>