Acne Infections Research Articles

Homoeopathic Management Of Irritant Contact Dermatitis – Case Report

Skin being the most exterior part of the body, is one of the important sense organs and come with it a great deal of aesthetic /cosmetic problems. Asian type of skin is more prone to present with post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, melasma, lentigines and freckles. The main skin diseases reported are acne, atopic dermatitis and viral infections. Among the hypersensitivity diseases, dermatitis as a subgroup stands first with a rate of 24.50%of the total. Among the dermatitis group, contact dermatitis (17.54% of the total) is the most commonly reported skin disease.

Cytotoxic and proapoptotic effect of doxycycline – An in vitro study on the human skin melanoma cells

Doxycycline is a semisynthetic, second generation tetracycline. Currently, it is used, among others, in the treatment of acne and skin infections. Moreover, doxycycline has many valuable nonantibiotic properties, including anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive and anticancer effects. Recent studies showed that the drug had the ability to inhibit the adhesion and migration of cancer cells, as well as affected their growth and proliferation and induced apoptosis. The purpose of this study was to examine the antimelanoma effect of doxycycline. The obtained results demonstrated that doxycycline decreased the viability and inhibited the proliferation of human melanoma cells, proportionally to the drug concentration and the treatment time. It was stated that doxycycline disturbed the homeostasis of the cells by lowering intracellular level of reduced thiols. In addition, the treatment changed the cell cycle profile and triggered the DNA fragmentation. Mitochondria of melanoma cells exposed to the drug had lowered membrane potential, which indicated cells apoptosis. Finally, doxycycline induced the externalization phosphatidylserine – a well-known hallmark of apoptosis, confirmed by results of annexin V test. The presented study contributes to the increase of knowledge about nonantibacterial action of doxycycline, including the influence on human cancer cells and indicates new potential possibility of effective treatment of malignant melanoma.

Designed Antimicrobial Peptides for Topical Treatment of Antibiotic Resistant Acne Vulgaris.

Acne vulgaris, caused by the Gram-positive bacterium Cutibacterium acnes, is a prevalent dermatologic condition with substantial cutaneous and psychological morbidity. Mild acne is treated with topical antibiotics with more severe inflammatory forms requiring the prolonged use of oral antibiotics, resulting in antimicrobial resistance development. Innovative treatment alternatives, providing complete microbicidal eradication with minimal safety issues and limited susceptibility to microbial resistance, are fervently sought. Designed antimicrobial peptides (dAMPs) are engineered analogs of naturally occurring AMPs that possess a reduced likelihood of developing bacterial resistance. Seven novel dAMP sequences were screened for in vitro bactericidal effectiveness against antibiotic resistant C. acnes clinical isolates. Five peptides (RP444, RP551, RP554, RP556, and RP557) exhibited potent in vitro antibacterial activity. The Therapeutic Index, a measure of specificity for killing multidrug resistant C. acnes over mammalian cells, was determined using bioluminescent human keratinocytes. The Therapeutic Index was highest for the disulfide dAMP, RP556, with a value of 130. The lead dAMP candidate RP556, was further evaluated in a multidrug-resistant C. acnes intradermal murine infection model. A topical application of 5 mg/mL RP556 (0.5%) eliminated infection. If these preclinical results are translated clinically, dAMPs may become a viable topical monotherapy for the treatment of recalcitrant acne infections.

Darier Disease – A Clinical Illustration of Its High Variable Expressivity

Darier disease (DD), also known as dyskeratosis follicularis, is a rare genodermatosis classically characterized by persistent hyperkeratotic papules and plaques affecting the seborrheic areas. Due to its variable expressivity, it can present with very discrete clinical features for many years, leading to diagnostic errors and incorrect treatments.We report an unusual case of Darier disease in a 69-year-old male patient in which the classical features of DD had a remarkably late onset. This patient had a several decades’ history of small, recurrent, scattered papules, limited to the face, for which he had received multiple diagnostic interpretations, such as acne or recurrent staphylococcal skin infection. We established the diagnosis of DD with superinfected lesions, and initiated treatment with intravenous antibiotics and oral retinoids. Results were extremely satisfactory in a very short time.This case shows an extremely unusual clinical course of Darier disease and is illustrative for the variable expressivity of the disease. It highlights the need to take dyskeratosis follicularis into account in patients with a longstanding history of persistent, hyperkeratotic papules, from unknown origin, even in the absence of the classical clinical findings.

Optimizing the bactericidal effect of pulsed blue light on Propionibacterium acnes - A correlative fluorescence spectroscopy study

Propionibacterium acnes infection is the eighth most prevalent disease, affecting 80% of people worldwide. Resistance to antibiotics has been on the rise; over 40% of acne infections now resist commonly used topical and oral anti-acnes antibiotics, making treatment difficult. In our effort to refine blue light as an alternative safe clinically effective treatment, we determined if 100% bacterial suppression is attainable at ultralow irradiances and radiant energies, and explored the relationship between bacterial suppression and fluorescence during treatment. P. acnes were irradiated in vitro repeatedly three times per day at 3- or 4-hour intervals over three or more days, using 3 or 5 J/cm2 radiant energy of 450 nm pulsed blue light (PBL) at irradiances as low as 2 mW/cm2. In another series of experiments, we measured changes in P. acnes fluorescence as bacteria were repeatedly irradiated at various radiant exposures over three to four days. Our results showed that (1) 33% PBL, applied three times per day at 3-hour intervals each day over a three-day period at 2 mW/cm2 irradiance and 5 J/cm2 radiant exposure, resulted in100% bacterial suppression (7 log10 reduction), (2) the absorbed 450 nm light caused P. acnes to fluoresce predominantly in the red spectrum, with the fluorescence diminishing correlatively as treatment was repeated at 3-hour intervals and rising significantly during long periods of no treatment, and (3) treatment at 3-hour intervals gave better results than treatment at 4-hour intervals.

Serum uric acid concentration (SUAC): A useful tool to assess extent and severity of chronic plaque psoriasis in Pakistani population.

Objectives: Psoriasis is a systemic chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease. Psoriasis can lead to multiple complications and co-morbidities. It has also been observed that raised serum uric acid levels predispose to gouty arthritis and also thought to be a risk factor for cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. The basic aim of this study was to ascertain level of serum uric acid in patients with chronic plaque psoriasis and control cases which might be a useful tool for assessing the extent and severity of chronic plaque psoriasis. Study Design: Case control study. Setting: At Outpatient’s Department (OPD) of Department of Dermatology, PNS Shifa, Karachi. Period: From January 2013 to December 2016. Material & Methods: One hundred and ninety four (194) patients were taken in this study and 97 patients were biopsy proven cases of psoriasis and 97 other participants included as control cases reporting to OPD with other complaint like acne, hair fall and fungal infections. After written and informed consent, 5ml of venous blood was drawn in sterile syringe and using gel sample tube to see the serum uric acid levels. On the basis of laboratory reports the elevated serum uric acid level in psoriatic versus normal controls was recorded on a pre-designed proforma. Results: There were 54.6% (106/194) male and 45.4% (88/194) female. Elevated serum uric level was 4.5 times (Approximate of 4.46) more common in cases than control group (OR: 4.46 95%CI: 1.83 to 10.91). Conclusion: Raised levels of serum Uric acid have been seen frequently in psoriatic patients. Early treatment for higher levels of serum uric acid might play a critical role in the better treatment of psoriatic patients. These results revealed that serum uric acid concentration (SUAC) of psoriasis may play a vital role in assessing the complex multifactorial etiology of the psoriasis, severity and other possible metabolic factors.

Abstract 2189: Evaluating efficacy of repurposed drugs in treatment of glioblastoma

Abstract Glioblastoma (GB) is the most aggressive adult brain tumor with a devastating median survival time of about fourteen months post-surgery and standard of care therapy with radiation and temozolomide. The low incidence of GB is a dis-incentive to develop novel therapies. To overcome that obstacle, we investigated the efficacy of repurposing four FDA approved drugs known to cross the BBB, minocycline, propranolol, chlorpromazine, and metformin, to inhibit signaling and metabolism in GB cells. Minocycline is a tetracycline class broad spectrum antibiotic commonly used to treat severe acne and other skin infections. Propranolol is a beta blocker type heart medication primarily used to treat high blood pressure and irregular heartbeat. Chlorpromazine is a phenothiazine antipsychotic usually used for schizophrenia. Metformin is the most widely used first-line oral treatment for type-2 diabetes. Based on a literature survey, minocycline is expected to prevent the phosphorylation of STAT3, a transcription factor downstream of EGFR; propranolol is expected to disrupt EGFR trafficking; chlorpromazine is expected to target the mTOR/AKT pathway; metformin is believed to exploit vulnerabilities in cancer cell metabolism. Efficacy of minocycline in inhibiting EGFR-driven STAT3 activation was investigated using western blot analysis. Our results demonstrate that Minocycline effectively inhibits activation of EGFR-driven STAT3 in U373 glioma cells at 100μM. The ability of chlorpromazine to inhibit the mTOR/AKT pathway was similarly tested via western blot, which showed inhibition of phosphorylated Akt and S6 at 10μM. Efficacy of propranolol in perturbing EGFR trafficking was evaluated using flow cytometry and immunofluorescence, which depicted altered membrane-associated EGFR abundance. Finally, concentration-dependent inhibition of colony formation was tested for all four drugs. Propranolol and minocycline showed potential stimulatory effects at 10μM, but all drugs inhibited cell growth at 50μM and higher. Efficacy of these drugs in treatment of GB is being further evaluated using in vitro neurosphere cultures from patients identified as having the cellular vulnerabilities potentially targeted by these drugs. Successful completion of this project will lead to in vivo efficacy testing of these four drugs in orthotopic GB PDX models. Citation Format: Tristan Neal, Nanyun Tang, George Reid, Sara Byron, Harshil Dhruv, Michael Berens. Evaluating efficacy of repurposed drugs in treatment of glioblastoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2189.

Cutaneous Scarring

Keloids and hypertrophic scars are caused by cutaneous injury and irritation, including trauma, insect bite, burn, surgery, vaccination, skin piercing, acne, folliculitis, chicken pox, and herpes zoster infection. Notably, superficial injuries that do not reach the reticular dermis never cause keloid and hypertrophic scarring. This suggests that these pathologic scars are due to injury to this skin layer and the subsequent aberrant wound healing therein. Various external and internal postwounding stimuli may promote reticular inflammation. Specifically, it is likely that the intensity, frequency, and duration of these stimuli determine how quickly the scars appear, the direction and speed of growth, and the intensity of symptoms. These proinflammatory stimuli include a variety of local, systemic, and genetic factors. At present, physicians cannot (or at least find it very difficult to) control systemic and genetic risk factors of keloids and hypertrophic scars. However, they can use a number of treatment modalities that all, interestingly, act by reducing inflammation. These include corticosteroid injection or tape or ointment, radiotherapy, compression therapy, stabilization therapy, and surgical methods that reduce skin tension. This review contains 11 figures and 41 references. Key Words: atrophic scar, hypertrophic scar, keloid, mature scar, pathologic scar, wound healing

Cutaneous Scarring

Keloids and hypertrophic scars are caused by cutaneous injury and irritation, including trauma, insect bite, burn, surgery, vaccination, skin piercing, acne, folliculitis, chicken pox, and herpes zoster infection. Notably, superficial injuries that do not reach the reticular dermis never cause keloid and hypertrophic scarring. This suggests that these pathologic scars are due to injury to this skin layer and the subsequent aberrant wound healing therein. Various external and internal postwounding stimuli may promote reticular inflammation. Specifically, it is likely that the intensity, frequency, and duration of these stimuli determine how quickly the scars appear, the direction and speed of growth, and the intensity of symptoms. These proinflammatory stimuli include a variety of local, systemic, and genetic factors. At present, physicians cannot (or at least find it very difficult to) control systemic and genetic risk factors of keloids and hypertrophic scars. However, they can use a number of treatment modalities that all, interestingly, act by reducing inflammation. These include corticosteroid injection or tape or ointment, radiotherapy, compression therapy, stabilization therapy, and surgical methods that reduce skin tension. This review contains 11 figures and 41 references. Key Words: atrophic scar, hypertrophic scar, keloid, mature scar, pathologic scar, wound healing

The Comparative Effect of Hydro Alcoholic and Hydro Distillation Extracts of <i>Melissa officinalis </i>on Acne and Pimple

One of the famous plants in family Lamiaceae isMelissa officinaliswhich is one of the important herbs for health and Medicine. Melisa contains Rosmarinic acid, flavonoids and phenolic. These components have tightening and rejuvenation effect on skin. Also, it has monoterpenes and di-terpenes which are antibacterial. Essential oil of Melisa forms a good complex with sebum, so it can decrease inflammation and acne pain 30 gr of dry leaves and stems of Melisa in 500 ml of distilled water were used for hydro-distillation. For hydro alcoholic extract, we used 150 gr of dry matter (leaves and stems) in 500 ml of ethyl alcohol at 25 °C for 10 days. Then, the alcoholic extract was diluted 5 times with water 20 persons were under experiment for 3 months. Extracts were sprayed on skin 3-5 times a day. The results showed that all the people treated got the best result of this treatment. After the application of the water extract of Melissa, we observed 75% of clients improved the skin pore, 65% of clients improved neurological problems and Acne infections and 92% recovery of hyper secretion of Sebaceous glands. We observed the same results with Hydro Alcoholic extracts. 75% recovery of clients with improved skin pore, 95% of clients with improved neurological problems and Acne infections and 90% recovery of hyper secretion of Sebaceous glands. The results showed that Melisa extract has value of applying on some skin problems.

Pattern of skin diseases in a university hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: age and sex distribution.

BACKGROUNDPrevious studies have investigated the pattern of dermatological diseases in some regions of Saudi Arabia, but studies on the prevalence of skin diseases in Jeddah are lacking.OBJECTIVESAssess the pattern of skin diseases in Jeddah based on age and sex differences and compare the results with those of previous studies conducted in other regions of Saudi Arabia and the Middle East.DESIGNA cross-sectional prevalence study, retrospective.SETTINGDermatology clinic of King Abdulaziz University hospital.PATIENTS AND METHODSData obtained from electronic medical records were summarized and analyzed. We only included new patients, who first visited the clinic in 2017.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURESDescriptive epidemiological data and statistical comparisons.SAMPLE SIZE1244.RESULTSAmong 3458 patients who attended the dermatology clinic, 1244 were new patients. There were 365 (29.3%) men and 879 (70.7%) women for a male-to-female ratio of 1:2.4. The mean (SD) age of the total population was 35 (3.8) years. The most common dermatological disease was dermatitis (n=266, 21.4%), followed by acne (n=195, 15.7%) and fungal infection (n=136, 10.9%). Atopic dermatitis was the most prevalent dermatome in children (41.7%), while acne was the most prevalent disease in adults (19.5%). The chi-square test indicated a significant difference between acne and sex (P=.007), with adult women being more commonly affected (79%) and for alopecia and sex (P<.001), with women being more commonly affected (91.2%).CONCLUSIONSThere are slight differences in the prevalence of dermatological diseases in Jeddah, as shown in this study and other studies from other regions in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. We recommend initiating awareness campaigns to increase knowledge about skin diseases, particularly in men, and improving dermatology-related training programs for primary health care physicians. A population-based study is warranted to clarify the prevalence of skin diseases in Saudi Arabia.LIMITATIONSThe inclusion of patients who visited the dermatology clinic only in 2017 and data collection from only registration records.

Physicochemical, Qualitative and Quantitative Phytochemical Analysis of the Leaf and Bark of Bombax Ceiba L (Red Silk Cotton Tree)

Bombax ceiba L is a big deciduous tree found in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Africa and Australia. Conventional systems of medicine such as Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani have been highlighted the use of B. ceiba parts (bark, leaves and flower) for the treatment of manydiseases like hypertension, HIV infections, inflammation, catarrhal affection, ulcer, acne, gynecological disorders, fever, dysentery, algesia, hepatotoxicity, piles and urinary infections. The aim of the present study was to evaluate pharmacognostic, physicochemical, qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analysis of leaf and bark of B. ceiba collected from Bhopal region of Madhya Pradesh. The pharmacognostic studies out in terms of various investigations like organoleptic or morphological characters, microscopic or anatomical studies, physicochemical evaluations (loss on drying, ash value, extractive values and acid insoluble ash value). Qualitative analysis of various phytochemical constituents and quantitative analysis of total phenolics and flavonoids were determined by the well-known test protocol available in the literature. The detail microscopy of bark revealed the presence of cork cell, lignified fibre, calcium oxalate crystals, xylem vessels. Physiochemical parameters such as percentage of foreign matters, ash values, loss on drying swelling index, extractive values were determined. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of phenols, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids and glycosides. In the procedure of quantitative analysis of flavonoids and phenolic compound was carried out by aluminium chloride Folins and Ciocalteau reagent method .In this methodthe totalflavonoids content and phenolic content of B. ceiba ethanolic and aqueous barks extracts was found to be 6.272, 3.363 and 2.607, 1.607mg /100mg respectively and total phenolic and flavonoids content of B. ceiba ethanolic, aqueous leaves extracts was found to be 7.381, 4.590 and 3.200, 1.792 mg/100mg respectively. These information will also be helpful to differentiate B. ceiba from the closely related other species. The diverse array of phytochemicals present in the plant thus suggests its therapeutic potentials which may be explored in drug manufacturing industry as well as in traditional medicine.

Epidemiology Study of Cutibacterium (Propionibacterium) Acnes in Zakho City, Iraq Kurdistan Region

Acne vulgaris is the most common skin disorder globally. The aim of this study was to determine the epidemiology of acne in Zakho City. The study included 1000 adolescent patients, aged 13 to 17 years, presenting to a dermatologist practice in Zakho City. All participants completed a brief enrollment questionnaire to engage their infection with acne and they participated in the ABO blood group test, additionally their knowledge about Acne vulgaris infection. The results of this study have shown that percentage of acne infection among males and females in total was 49.2%. The highest number was appearing in a Male student with 26.6% and it was higher than female infection which records 22.6 %. It worth to mention the O blood group is the highest population among ABO blood groups that can carry acne vulgaris infection with 20.6 %. While O- blood group recorded 0.8% only among the population group. This study shows that the Acne vulgaris infection is endemic among secondary school students in Zakho city. However, more research is needed to be done to help students of avoiding this kind of infection in their teenage.

ACUTE LOCALIZED EXANTHEMATOUS PUSTULOSIS: A RARE CUTANEOUS DRUG ERUPTION

Introduction Acute localized exanthematous pustulosis (ALEP) is a rare, likely T-cell-mediated immune processes (type-IV-reaction), characterized by pustules typically localized to the face, neck or chest, usually in response to medications. We present a case with cutaneous drug reaction consistent with ALEP following administration of antibiotics. Case Description A 33-year-old woman presented with 3-4 days of painless pustules mostly on her right forehead, but slightly crossing the midline. She denied new topical exposures. However, she reported receiving intravenous ampicillin-sulbactam 4 days prior for purulent cellulitis of the hand, followed by oral amoxicillin-clavulanate. Based on wound culture sensitivities, the antibiotic was later changed to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, of which she had only taken 2 doses of. Initially, her rash was believed to be shingles versus MRSA cellulitis, for which she was started on valacyclovir and vancomycin. However, the patient was afebrile without leukocytosis. On examination, she had multiple superficial pustules without significant erythema, warmth or edema. Due to the lack of typical signs of cellulitis and considering recent antibiotic exposure, the patient was eventually diagnosed with ALEP, with ampicillin-sulbactam or amoxicillin-clavulanate as the most likely culprits. All antibiotics were discontinued. The patient had spontaneous resolution of the rash several weeks following discharge. Discussion ALEP is a rare drug eruption occurring 3-5 days after drug commencement, most commonly associated with aminopenicillins. Major differentials include shingles, acne or bacterial infections. Key differentiating features include acute course, history of recent drug administration and spontaneous resolution following drug cessation. Once ALEP is confirmed, the patient should avoid further use of the trigger medication.

Characteristics and management of Asian skin

Color differences in skin are due to the amount and distribution of epidermal melanin. The number of melanocytes is almost the same in all skin types, but higher phototypes exhibit more melanocytes, which produce more melanin and melanosomes that are individually distributed throughout the keratinocyte layers. This characteristic ensures a natural, significant photoprotection in darker skins. Asians are a population with various skin phototypes, ranging from type III to IV Fitzpatrick's classification in Chinese and Japanese to type IV and V in Indian and Pakistani people. Asian skin tends to present postinflammatory hyperpigmentation, melasma, lentigines and freckles, nevus of Ota, and Hori nevus. The main skin diseases reported in Asians are acne, atopic dermatitis, and viral infections. Wrinkles and skin thickness, early signs of aging in Caucasians, are less evident in Asian skin. However, pigmentary changes occur earlier. Additionally, this ethnic population is increasing worldwide. The aim of this study is to show the importance of studying the characteristics of Asian skin for the better management of skin diseases in this population, which are being increasingly observed in doctor's offices. Based on a broad review of the medical literature, we report the characteristics of Asian skin, as well as some dyschromias and common skin disorders in this ethnic group. The objective of the article is to study the characteristics of Asian skin and differences in relation to other ethnic groups to achieve improved clinical and cosmetic management of diseases and other skin disorders. This article will discuss the concept of beauty in different ethnic groups, treatments with lasers and other light sources, and cosmiatric treatments in Asian skin. An extensive review of the literature was performed using the databases Scielo and Bireme, from Medline and Lilacs sources, over the last 50 years. The keywords used were as follows: Asian skin, ethnic skin, melanin. Due to the peculiarities of each ethnic group, this article demonstrates the importance of studying the characteristics of Asian skin to elucidate improved cosmiatric approaches for these patients.

Antimicrobial activity of some plants extracts on bacteria isolated from acne vulgaris patients

Background: Acne is a cutaneous pleomorphic disorder skin disease most frequently occurring during the adolescent in ages of 12-24, with estimated percentage ( 85%) . There are different ways to treat acne such as using of antibiotics , herpes , and mixing treatments . Methods : Antibacterial activity of four concentrations (100,50,25,12.5)mg /ml of alcoholic and cold aqueous crude extracts of Cinnamon(Cinnamomum verum ), Henna (Lawsonia inermis ) , Lupine (Lupinus luteus) were studied against aerobic and an aerobic bacteria isolated from inflamed and discharging pus from thirty Iraqi acne vulgaris patients refer to dermatology unit at AL-Kindy Hospital from December 2016 to March 2017.All information (age, sex ,diseases and using topical treatments) were recorded .The bacterial isolates were identify using morphological characteristics, biochemical tests and the Vitek-2 compact system. Results: Among (30 )Acne samples taken, 8 (26.7%) samples were from males age range (19-33) years and 22(73.3%) were from females within age (17-29)years . twenty five (83%) samples were culture positive, and only (17%) of samples revealed no growth .Most frequent bacteria which isolated (aerobically) from acne patients were Staphylococcus aureus ( 60%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (20%), Escherichia coli (8% ), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (4%), and an aerobic bacterial isolates were Propionibacterium acnes (8%) isolates. Antibiotic sensitivity tests were performed against, Ampicillin, Clindamycin, Gentamicin, Cotrimoxazole, Erythromycin, Vancomicine, Tetracycline, Doxycycline, and Azithromycin.All bacterial isolates were resistance to Ampicillin. Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis were sensitive (100%) to Doxycycline and Azithromycin, P. acne were also highly sensitive to these two antibiotics (95.5%,97.1%) respectively, while E. coli and P. aeruginosa were (100%) resistance to these antibiotics. Gentamicin and tetracycline were susceptible by most of the study isolates except for P. aeruginosa which was very resistance to CN and TE (100%&94.8%) respectively. The antimicrobial potential of cold water and alcoholic crude extracts of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum ), Hinna (Lawsonia inermis), and Lupine (Lupinus luteus), in concentrations (100,50,25,12.5) mg/ml against the gram positive and gram negative isolates were tested through a well-diffusion method. Alcoholic extract of Henna leaves in concentration (100mg/ml) showed high inhibitory activity to all isolates compared with the aqueous extract and the all concentration of cinnamon aqueous and alcoholic extracts ,while lupine extracts had no effect on all bacterial isolates . Conclusion: Gram-positive bacteria were the most common microorganisms involved in acne infection. There are variations in the incidence of acne infection in relation to sex, age; Alcoholic extract of the Henna leaves could be used to treat acne.

Differences in skin lesions of endogenous and exogenous Cushing's patients.

IntroductionCushing’s syndrome is a rare condition characterized by increased glucocorticoid levels. Dermatologically, it causes a variety of skin conditions such as atrophy, striae, acne, plethora, hypertrichosis, hirsutism, acanthosis nigricans, hyperpigmentation, alopecia, purpura and fragile skin. Although skin lesions of Cushing’s syndrome have been described, exogenous and endogenous types have not been studied in detail.AimTo determine differences in possible skin lesions depending on the cause of Cushing’s syndrome.Material and methodsA total of 35 patients – 16 iatrogenic Cushing’s syndrome patients and 19 endogenous Cushing’s syndrome patients – who were diagnosed in Erciyes University and 15 healthy individuals were included in this study.ResultsThere was at least one skin finding in 34 (97.1%) of the patients with Cushing’s syndrome and 9 (60%) in the control group (p = 0.001). Comparison regarding skin findings in patient and control groups revealed that hypertrichosis, hyperpigmentation, and fungal infections were significantly more frequent in the patient group than the control group. Hirsutism was found more frequently in the endogenous group whereas stria, hypertrichosis and fungal infections were more frequent in the exogenous group.ConclusionsSince Cushing’s syndrome is a rare disease and it is often diagnosed later in life, data on the frequency of skin findings are limited and sparse in the literature. In the comparison of endogenous Cushing’s and exogenous Cushing’s groups, acne, hypertrichosis, and fungal infections were found more frequently in the exogenous Cushing’s group and hirsutism more frequently in the endogenous Cushing’s group.

Keloid and Hypertrophic Scars Are the Result of Chronic Inflammation in the Reticular Dermis.

Keloids and hypertrophic scars are caused by cutaneous injury and irritation, including trauma, insect bite, burn, surgery, vaccination, skin piercing, acne, folliculitis, chicken pox, and herpes zoster infection. Notably, superficial injuries that do not reach the reticular dermis never cause keloidal and hypertrophic scarring. This suggests that these pathological scars are due to injury to this skin layer and the subsequent aberrant wound healing therein. The latter is characterized by continuous and histologically localized inflammation. As a result, the reticular layer of keloids and hypertrophic scars contains inflammatory cells, increased numbers of fibroblasts, newly formed blood vessels, and collagen deposits. Moreover, proinflammatory factors, such as interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α are upregulated in keloid tissues, which suggests that, in patients with keloids, proinflammatory genes in the skin are sensitive to trauma. This may promote chronic inflammation, which in turn may cause the invasive growth of keloids. In addition, the upregulation of proinflammatory factors in pathological scars suggests that, rather than being skin tumors, keloids and hypertrophic scars are inflammatory disorders of skin, specifically inflammatory disorders of the reticular dermis. Various external and internal post-wounding stimuli may promote reticular inflammation. The nature of these stimuli most likely shapes the characteristics, quantity, and course of keloids and hypertrophic scars. Specifically, it is likely that the intensity, frequency, and duration of these stimuli determine how quickly the scars appear, the direction and speed of growth, and the intensity of symptoms. These proinflammatory stimuli include a variety of local, systemic, and genetic factors. These observations together suggest that the clinical differences between keloids and hypertrophic scars merely reflect differences in the intensity, frequency, and duration of the inflammation of the reticular dermis. At present, physicians cannot (or at least find it very difficult to) control systemic and genetic risk factors of keloids and hypertrophic scars. However, they can use a number of treatment modalities that all, interestingly, act by reducing inflammation. They include corticosteroid injection/tape/ointment, radiotherapy, cryotherapy, compression therapy, stabilization therapy, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) therapy, and surgical methods that reduce skin tension.

Development and Sequential Analysis of a New Multi-Agent, Anti-Acne Formulation Based on Plant-Derived Antimicrobial and Anti-Inflammatory Compounds.

The antibacterial and anti-inflammatory potential of natural, plant-derived compounds has been reported in many studies. Emerging evidence indicates that plant-derived essential oils and/or their major compounds may represent a plausible alternative treatment for acne, a prevalent skin disorder in both adolescent and adult populations. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop and subsequently analyze the antimicrobial activity of a new multi-agent, synergic formulation based on plant-derived antimicrobial compounds (i.e., eugenol, β-pinene, eucalyptol, and limonene) and anti-inflammatory agents for potential use in the topical treatment of acne and other skin infections. The optimal antimicrobial combinations selected in this study were eugenol/β-pinene/salicylic acid and eugenol/β-pinene/2-phenoxyethanol/potassium sorbate. The possible mechanisms of action revealed by flow cytometry were cellular permeabilization and inhibition of efflux pumps activity induced by concentrations corresponding to sub-minimal inhibitory (sub-MIC) values. The most active antimicrobial combination represented by salycilic acid/eugenol/β-pinene/2-phenoxyethanol/potassium sorbate was included in a cream base, which demonstrated thermodynamic stability and optimum microbiological characteristics.

Pharmacognostic and pharmacological studies of Bombax ceiba thorn extract

Context: Bombax ceiba is a large deciduous tree found in tropical and sub-tropical regions of Asia, Africa, and Australia. Traditional systems of medicine such as Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani have been highlighted the use of B. ceiba parts (bark, leaves, and flower) for the treatment of numerous ailments like algesia, hepatotoxicity, hypertension, HIV infections, fever, dysentery, inflammation, catarrhal affection, ulcer, acne, gynecological disorders, piles and urinary infections. However, no scientific pharmacognostic, phytochemical and pharmacological study has been reported for B. ceiba thorn. Aims: To study the pharmacognostic and pharmacological potentials of B. ceiba thorn extract. Methods: The physicochemical properties were determined using pharmacopoeial tests. The phytochemical screening was carried out using standard protocols. The in vitro anti-inflammatory activity was performed by human red blood cells stabilization method, in vitro anthelmintic activity by Pheretima posthuma method, in vitro antioxidant activity by DPPH scavenging method, and anti-microbial studies by agar streak dilution method against bacteria E. coli, B. subtilis, K. pneumonia, and fungi C. albicans and A. niger. Results: The hydroalcoholic thorn extract of Bombax ceiba (TEBC) showed significant anti-inflammatory (46.9% stabilization), anthelmintic (death at 59.22 min), in vitro anti-oxidant (41.62% inhibition), and anti-microbial activities (B. subtilis &gt; E. coli &gt; K. pneumonia; A. niger &gt; C. albicans). Conclusions: The study revealed the physicochemical, photochemical and pharmacognostic features of thorn of the B. ceiba. The study also revealed the possession of different pharmacological potentials of extract.