Recearch Paper : The Effects of Antimicrobial Properties of Manuka Oil and Improvement of Acne

Kim, Hyun Sook; Lee, Hae Young; Lee, Jae Nam; Joo, Chul Gue; Choe, Tae Boo

Journal of the Korean Society of Cosmetology 2011;17(2):245-256.
Published online April 30, 2011.

마누카 오일의 항균효과와 여드름 개선 효과

김현숙, 이혜영, 이재남, 주철규, 최태부

Recearch Paper : The Effects of Antimicrobial Properties of Manuka Oil and Improvement of Acne

Hyun Sook Kim, Hae Young Lee, Jae Nam Lee, Chul Gue Joo, Tae Boo Choe

Abstract

In this study, the antimicrobial and anti-acne effects of manuka oil were studied as a cosmetic ingredient. The antimicrobial activity of manuka oil was determined by paper disc diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value, while anti-acne effect was verified with the clinical studies. MIC value and paper disc diffusion method of manuka oil on P. acne, S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, C. albicans and A. niger were showed between 0.01%~0.10% and 8~40 mm, respectively. These results suggest that manuka oil showed good anti-bacterial activities. Clinical tests were recruited with 18 subjects in their twenties who were suffering from acne were selected and evaluate acne for six weeks. Based on the korean type acne severity scoring system, erythema index, melanin index, pore index and acne grade were measured 3 times; before the test, three and six weeks after the test. There was a significant improvement in acne skin in both objective and subjective parameters(total microbial number in face, sebum contents, erythema index, melanin index, pore index) after the treatment with cosmetics containing manuka oil compared with control group (placebo). The results of this study showed that manuka oil had an anti-acne effects by alleviating the red spots on the face and reducing the melanin index, through the antibacterial activities. Taken all together, we concluded that the manuka oil would be an useful ingredient for the development of anti-acne cosmetics.

Key Words: Manuka oil, Acne, Anti-microbial, Erythema, Sebum