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Journal of Thai Traditional & Alternative Medicine Vol. 6 No. 2 May-August (Supplement) 2008 ÒÛı

PO-33

Antiacne activity of the cream containing aromatic volatile oil from

Thai Lanna medicinal plants entrapped in niosomes

1,2 1 2 1,2
Aranya Manosroi , Charinya Chankhampan , Pisit Jainonthee , Jiradej Manosroi
1
Faculty of Pharmacy, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 50200
2
Natural Products Research and Development Center (NPRDC), Institute for Science and Technology Research and Development,
Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 50200

Rationale: The pathology of acne is complex, involving abnormal keratinization, hormonal function, immune
hypersensitivity and bacterial growth (such as Propionibacterium acnes). Recently, many reports have found that

aromatic volatile oils from Thai medicinal plants can inhibit P. acne with no irritation to skin. In this study, the
cream containing the selected aromatic volatile oil from Thai Lanna plants which have been preliminary tested to
have antibacterial activity by an agar disc diffusion method was developed and investigated for antiacne activity in
human volunteers.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate antiacne activity in human volunteers of the cream

containing aromatic volatile oil from Thai Lanna medicinal plants entrapped in niosomes.

Method: The five plants which have evidences of antiacne were selected from the Thai Lanna medicinal plant
recipies such as hairy basil oil (Ocimum americana L.), lemon grass oil (Cymbopogon citratus Stapf.), Kaffir lime
leaf oil (Citrus hystrix DC.), Holy basil oil (Ocimum sanctum L.), and sweet vasil oil (Ocimum basilicum L.). The
extracts were prepared. The cream containing the plant extracts entrapped in niosomes was developed and tested
for antiacne activity in ten volunteers of 2 males and 8 females. The cream was applied twice daily on the area

of the face having acnes. The treatment was performed for 6 weeks followed by a 2 week wash-out period. The
antiacne activity was evaluated by macrophotographs at day 1 (baseline) and every week. The numbers of open and
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closed comedones were counted and evaluated on 3-point scale (0 = no lesions cm , 1 = <5 lesions cm , 2 = 5-
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10 lesions cm and 3 = >10 lesions cm ). The inflammatory lesions and skin compatibility of the products
focusing on redness, dryness, oiliness, peeling and itching were assessed according to the following scale: 0 = not
present, 1 = mild, 2 = moderate and 3 = severe.

Results: The average decreasing inflammatory lesion scales from baseline to week 6 (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 weeks)
were 2.1 ± 1.10, 0.6 ± 0.70, 0.5 ± 0.85, 0.5 ± 1.08, 0.3 ± 0.67, 0.4 ± 0.70 and 0.4 ± 0.97 respectively, whereas

no significant change in the number of open and closed comedones (p value = 0.05) was observed. Skin
compatibility showed only minor oilness and no differences in the appearance of peeling and itching. This study
has confirmed the potential of the Thai Lanna medicinal plants when applied with nanotechnology for antiacne
activity.

Conclusion: The developed cream containing the Thai Lanna extracts entrapped in niosomes showed the antiacne

activity by reducing the inflamed lesions. This study has demonstrated the potential of the selected Thai Lanna
plants for cosmeceutical application.