eissn: 2231-0541 CAS CODEN: PHARN8 An ELSEVIER Covered Journal PHARMANEST An International Journal of Advances in Pharmaceutical Sciences P a g e 557 Volume 4 Issue 4 July-August 2013 Pages 557-566 Original Research Article EUCALYPTUS OIL AS A TREATMENT FOR ACNE KHIDIR AGAB MOHAMMED HASSAN*, NMARIG ELTAYB Department of pharmaceutics, Rafha Faculty of Pharmacy, Northern Border University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Author for Correspondence: khidiragab@yahoo.com Received: 30-05-2013 Revised: 03-06-2013 Accepted: 10-06-2013 Available online: 01-09-2013 ABSTRACT Background: Acne an embarrassing skin problem characterized by white heads, black heads, pimples, pustules and boils, affects between 40-50 million AmericansAcne according to the American Academy of dermatology. Some common acne treatment herbs include: aloe vera, sarsaparilla root, licorice root, tea tree oil, dandelion, Echinacea, burdock root, and eucalyptus. The oil extracted from the eucalyptus leaf (Eucalyptuscamaldulensis,F:Myrtaceae) has powerful antiseptic, deodorizing, and antibacterial properties. It is especially effective in killing several strains of Staphylococcus bacteria. When the oil is applied to cuts, scrapes, and other minor wounds, it inhibits infections and viruses.the principal active ingredient in eucalyptus oil is "eucalyptol" which has strong germicidal and disinfectant properties. Method: 2% 0f the oil incorporated in an aqueous cream base and then applied to volunteers to assess the efficacy in acne. Result: all volunteers have shown a significant improvement. Conclusion: Eucalyptus oil proves beneficial in the battle to banish blemishes. Key words: Eucalyptus Oil, Acne Treatment, Clinical evaluation
P a g e 558 INTRODUCTION Acne is a skin condition that occurs when the hair follicles become plugged with oil and dead skin cells. Acne most commonly appears on the face, neck, chest, back and shoulders. Acne can be distressing and annoyingly persistent. Acne lesions heal slowly, and when one begins to resolve, others seem to crop up. Acne happens when sebaceous (oil) glands attached to the hair follicles are stimulated at the time of puberty by elevated levels of male hormones. Sebum (oil) is a natural substance which lubricates and protects the skin. Associated with increased oil production is a change in the manner in which the skin cells mature so that they are predisposed to clog the follicular openings or pores. The clogged hair follicle gradually enlarges, producing a bump. As the follicle enlarges, the wall may rupture, allowing irritating substances and normal skin bacteria access into the deeper layers of the skin, ultimately producing inflammation. Inflammation near the skin's surface produces a pustule; deeper inflammation results in a papule (pimple); deeper still and it's a cyst. If the oil breaks though to the surface, the result is a "whitehead." If the oil accumulates melanin pigment or becomes oxidized, the oil changes from white to black, and the result is a "blackhead." With the exception of very severe acne, most people do not have the problem exactly as their parents did. Almost everyone has some acne at some point in their life. In some patients, pressure from helmets, chin straps, collars, suspenders, and the like can aggravate acne. Some medications may cause or worsen acne, such as those containing iodides, bromides, or oral or injected steroids (either the medically prescribed prednisone or the steroids that bodybuilders or athletes take). Other drugs that can cause or aggravate acne are anticonvulsant medications and lithium, which is used to treat bipolar disorder. Most cases of acne, however, are not drug related. In some jobs, exposure to industrial products may produce acne. Some cosmetics and skin-care products are pore clogging ("comedogenic"). To conclude acne has a variety of causes, all of which involve a disorder of the pilosebaceous unit, which includes a hair, a hair follicle and a sebaceous gland. A common cause of acne is the bacterium Propionibacterium acnes, which normally inhabits the skin and feeds on the sebum produced by the sebaceous gland. An abundance of sebum creates favorable conditions for the bacterium, which, in turn, activates the immune system. White blood cells attack the bacteria with enzymes that can damage the wall of the follicle and cause an inflammatory response on the surface of the skin.
P a g e 559 (http://www.acnetreatment.org/revi ews/revitaclear.html, retrieved on 22/4/2012, 11:35PM) Cystic acne usually is that severe acne that requires the aid and consultation of a dermatologist. As opposed to common acne, cystic acne causes large cysts in the skin, sometimes several inches across. They are quite painful, but should never be popped as this tends to aggravate the problem. Cystic Acne shares the causes of traditional acne with greater sensitivity. Greasy makeup or cosmetics, washing too often or with harsh cleansers, and genetics all play a role in the creation and continuation of the environment that causes acne. ("http://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/in dex.php/propionibacterium, retrieve d on; 4/4/2012,6:30pm). NATURAL ACNE TREATMENT Natural acne treatment is a way of clearing your skin, well, naturally. This includes everything from changing your diet to using herbs to cleanse your skin. Some common acne treatment herbs include: aloe vera, sarsaparilla root, licorice root, tea tree oil, dandelion, Echinacea, and burdock root, eucalyptus oil. EUCALYPTUS OIL: The oil extracted from the eucalyptus leaf (Eucalyptuscamaldulensis,F:Myrtaceae) has powerful antiseptic, deodorizing, and antibacterial properties. It is especially effective in killing several strains of Staphylococcus bacteria 1-4. The principal active ingredient in eucalyptus oil is "eucalyptol" which has strong germicidal and disinfectant properties. Eucalyptol (1,8-cineol), is a monoterpene molecule and it constitute up to 90% of eucalyptus essential oil 5. Eucalyptol has an anti-inflammatory and cough suppressant properties 6,7. Eucalyptus oil is essential in treating acne because of its bacterial and antiinflammatory properties 8. Eucalyptus essential oil is toxic to a wide range of bacteria including propioni bacterium acne, the primary bacterium in acne infections. Aim: To investigated the effect of Eucalyptus oil cream in acne treatment. Objective: To prepare a cream from essential oil of Eucalyptus camaldulensis (F: Myrtaceae)Leaves. METHODOLOGY Table.1. Formulation of the eucalyptus oil cream Materials Quantity Emulsifying wax 10g White Soft paraffin 50g Liquid paraffin 20g Eucalyptol oil 2g (2%) Purified Water ad to 100 Emulsifying wax and white soft paraffin liquid paraffin added together and then melted in water bath and mixed, a hot purified water at the same temperature was added and then mixed all together until
P a g e 560 temperature dropped, then eucalyptus oil was added and mixed into it cream. CLINICAL TRIAL The clinical trial was cleared by an institutional ethical committee, and informed consent was signed by each volunteer. The volunteers were advice to use the cream twice daily (b.d.). And the volunteers were monitored routinely for ten days to see the effect of the cream. RESULTS Table.2. Inference of usage of cream Before and After treatment No. Patient Before treatment After treatment Patient.1(female) Patient.2(male) Patient.3(female) Patient.4(female) Patient.5(female) pimples, caused by increased sebum production and the growth of bacteria, which cause irritation and redness (Nodules and cysts) Redness, nodules with bacterial infection Enlarged hair follicles filled with sebum with Blackheads Firm, deep bumps and swellings. (pustules) Enlarged hair follicles filled with sebum and with Blackheads The sebum production decreased, the growth of bacteria was suppressed, redness decreased. Redness, and nodulesdecreased. Blackheads diminished. Bumps and swelling disappeared. blackheads disappeared Before, During and After Treatment Results with Eucalyptus Oil on PATIENT.1 to PATIENT.5 were shown in Fig.1 to Fig.5.
P a g e 561 PATIENT.NO.1. Before Treatment During treatment After Treatment Fig.1. Clinical Trail of Eucalyptus Oil on PATIENT.1.
P a g e 562 PATIENT.NO.2. Before treatment During treatment After treatment Fig.2.Clinical Trail of Eucalyptus Oil on PATIENT.2.
P a g e 563 PATIENT.NO.3. Before treatment During treatment After treatment Fig.3.Clinical Trail of Eucalyptus Oil on PATIENT.3.
P a g e 564 PATIENT.NO.4 Before treatment During treatment After treatment Fig.4.Clinical Trail of Eucalyptus Oil on PATIENT.4.
P a g e 565 PATIENT.NO.5 Before treatment During treatment After treatment Fig.5.Clinical Trail of Eucalyptus Oil on PATIENT.5.
P a g e 566 DISCUSSION All volunteers have shown good result from the previous state, the volunteers have shown improvement, good results were obtained after the 2 nd week of treatment. These results confirm the fact that eucalyptus oil has inhibitory effect against propionic bacterium acnes 9. CONCLUSION The results obtained from this study revealed that extracts of E. camaldulensis possess antimicrobial activities against the microorganism that causes acne. RECOMMENDATIONS o The duration of treatment was not long enough so as to remove the scars.further study is required with large number of population, and with longer period. o More effort s and studies are required on herbal drugs so as to substitute the use of the synthetic chemicals. REFERENCES: 1. Ayepola O.O and B.A. adeniyi (2008),The Antibacterial Activity of Leaf Extracts of Eucalyptus camaldulensis (Myrtaceae), Journal of Applied Sciences Research, 4(11): 1410-1413, 2008. 2. BachirRahoGhalem and Benali Mohamed (2007),Antibacterial activity of leaf essential oils of Eucalyptus GlobulusandEucalyptus camaldulensis,african Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology Vol. 2(10). Pp. 211-215, ISSN 1996-0816. 3. E. R. Hendry, t. Worthington, B. R. Conway and P. A. Lambert(2009) antimicrobial efficacy of eucalyptus oil and 1,8-cineole alone and incombination with chlorhexidine digluconate against microorganisms grown in planktonic and biofilm cultures,journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy64, 1219 1225. 4. M. Akin, A. Aktumsek1 and A. Nostro2 (2010),antibacterial activity and composition of the essential oils of eucalyptus camaldulensisdehn. And myrtuscommunisl. Growing in northern Cyprus African,journal of biotechnology vol. 9 (4), pp. 531-535, 25 january, 2010, issn 1684 5315. 5. Patrícia Sartorelli, Alexandre Donizete Marquioreto, Adriana Amaral-baroli, Marcosenoque. Lima and Pauloroberto.Moreno (2007), chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oils from two species of eucalyptus,phytotherapy research Phytother. Res. 21, 231 233 (2007),doi: 10.1002/ptr.2051. 6. R. Nair, Y. Vaghasiya and S. Chanda Antibacterial activity of Eucalpytuscitriodoraoil on few clinically important bacteria(2007), African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 7 (1), pp. 025-026. 7. Reza Ranjbare, Alihedaiatjooc and Mohsen BigdeLif(2011) the essential oils activity of eucalyptus polycarpa, E. Largiflorence, E. Malliodoraand e. Camaldulensis on staphylococcus aureus,iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research (2011), 10 (1): 43-48. 8. SirivanAthikomkulchai,RithWatthan achaiyingcharoen,sujimontunvichi en,panidavayumhasuwan, PaisarnKarnsomkiet, prapansae- JongNijsiriRuangrungsi(2008), The Development Of Anti-Acne Products From Eucalyptus Globulus And PsidiumGuajavaOil,J Health Res 2008, 22(3): 109-113. 9. T. Takahashi, R. Kokubo and M. Sakaino(2004), antimicrobial activities of eucalyptus leaf extracts and flavonoids from eucalyptus maculate,applied microbiology, letters in applied microbiology, 39, 60 64, doi:10.1111/j.1472-765x.