In vitro investigation of antimicrobial activities of Camellia sinensis, Salvia officinalis, Aloe vera and Thymus vulgaris

Abstract

Acne vulgaris is a skin condition that affects people of various age groups worldwide. It can lead to psychological disorders by negatively impacting individuals’ social lives, self-confidence, physical appearance, and even em ployment opportunities. The fact that traditional treatment strategies in the treatment of acne vulgaris cause serious side effects such as gastrointestinal discomfort, liver function abnormalities, and teratogenicity has led research ers to develop natural, herbal, economical, easy-to-apply, innovative treat ment strategies using nanotechnology, one of the popular technologies of recent years ). In this study, Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze, Salvia officinalis L., Aloe vera L., and Thymus vulgaris L. were chosen based on their reported ef fectiveness against acne vulgaris in the literature (2). Extracts of these plants were prepared and their antimicrobial activities against Cutibacterium acnes, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans were evaluated using agar well diffusion and microdilution methods. The minimal inhibitory con centration values of the extracts against the bacteria range from 0.13 to 31.25 mg/mL, while the minimum bactericidal concentration values range from 0.26 to 125 mg/mL. None of the extracts showed an antifungal effect against C. albicans. EaseState 360 software (v.3.12.9.1, Boston, MA, USA) was used to find out whether these plant extracts increased antimicrobial activity when used in combination and to facilitate the experimental design process. Then, the antimicrobial effectiveness of various combinations will be assessed, and the top three combinations will be selected. Among these selections, the formu lation that demonstrates the strongest antioxidant effect will be loaded into nanocarrier systems. This approach aims to develop a product that prevents the formation of acne vulgaris minimizes side effects and improves compli ance, thereby providing a patient-friendly experience.