Design and characterization of the cream formulation containing rosemary and green tea extract against Propionibacterium acnes

Abstract

Aim: Acne vulgaris is an inflammation of the pilosebaceous unit. Pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies continue to invest heavily in research and development for acne treatments. Medicinal plants are being studied as potential options to prevent antibiotic resistance and reduce the cost of treating diseases. This study aimed to prepare cream formulations containing various amounts of rosemary extract (RE) and green tea extract (GTE) with antibacterial properties, perform characterization studies, and determine formulation activity against Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes).

Methods: The cream's basis was prepared by the fusion method. Different amounts of rosemary extract and green tea extract were added. The cream formulations were characterized by microscopy, pH, rheological properties, texture properties, droplet size measurement, and a stability test. The P. acnes antibacterial test was carried out using the agar diffusion method.

Results: The cream formulations F2 and F1 were effective against P. acnes and met all of the necessary criteria, including rheological, hardness, compressibility, stickiness, elasticity, physical stability, droplet size measurement, and pH. In the antibacterial test results for the F1 formulation, the zone diameter was 10 ± 0.15 mm, and for the F2 formulation, it was 12 ± 0.15 mm (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: In our study, we found that formulations F1 and F2 can be administered topically because they show pseudoplastic flow, an appropriate pH value, appropriate textural properties, and antibacterial activity against P. acnes-induced acne vulgaris.

How to cite this article:

Güzel MC, Toksoy MO. Design and characterization of the cream formulation containing rosemary and green tea extract against Propionibacterium acnes. J Med Dent Invest 2023; 4: e230345. https://doi.org/10.5577/jomdi.e230345