Work

Essential Oil-Mediated Potentiation of Erythromycin Against Resistant and Sensitive Cutibacterium acnes: Implications for Antimicrobial Resistance Management

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Acne vulgaris, a chronic skin condition, is, in part, caused by the bacteria Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes). Antibiotics are commonly used for treatment of this condition, but antibiotic resistance poses an increasing challenge for a successful outcome. This study aims to investigate the synergistic antimicrobial activity of tea tree oil (TTO), chamomile oil (CO), with erythromycin against clinical strains of erythromycin-sensitive and erythromycin-resistant strains of C. acnes. Twenty-one clinical samples of C. acnes were used. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of TTO, CO, and erythromycin alone and in combination were investigated using microdilution and checkerboard assays. Synergistic interactions were evaluated using the Fraction Inhibitory Concentration Index (FICI). The mixture of TTO and CO combined with erythromycin showed a significant 95.97 % (P<0.05) reduction in MIC of erythromycin (FICI = 0.13), restoring this antibiotic activity on the erythromycin-resistant C. acnes. These results suggest using essential oil combinations simultaneously with conventional topical antimicrobials to treat Acne vulgaris.

Source: Medical Research Archives

DOI: 10.18103/mra.v13i11.7064

Authors: Suzanne Abdelmalek, Yehya Al-Banna, Malak Hajar, Kenza Mansoor, Phillip J. Collier

Institutions: Petra University, United Arab Emirates University

Language: English

Topic: Essential Oils and Antimicrobial Activity

Subfield: Food Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: diamond

Funder: University of Petra