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Observational Study
. 2024 Dec 30;317(1):155.
doi: 10.1007/s00403-024-03608-7.

Anti-microbial impact of non-antibiotic agents; salicylic acid, N-acetylcysteine, and isotretinoin against Cutibacterium acnes in patients with acne vulgaris

Reham Essam  1 , Mohamed Nasr  2 , Maha W Khater  3 , Basma Fayez  2 , Nourhan Anis  2
Affiliations
Observational Study

Anti-microbial impact of non-antibiotic agents; salicylic acid, N-acetylcysteine, and isotretinoin against Cutibacterium acnes in patients with acne vulgaris

Reham Essam et al. Arch Dermatol Res. .

Abstract

There are two main strategies to eliminate Cutibacterium acnes and to reduce antibiotic resistance in acne treatment. The first is to target the pathogenic bacteria and the second is to change the environment for their growth. The present study aimed to evaluate the anti-microbial role of non-antibiotic agents against Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes) in acne vulgaris patients. The three agents of interest in the study were isotretinoin, salicylic acid, and N-acetylcysteine (NAC). The study included forty-eight patients with acne vulgaris with ages ranging from 16 to 30 years, and they had different grades of the disease. Azithromycin and Doxycycline sensitivity and the ability of biofilm formation of C. acnes isolated from all patients were assessed before and after adding the 3 agents. Azithromycin and Doxycycline sensitivity was improved after adding the 3 agents and the ability of biofilm formation of C. acnes was also reduced. Isotretinoin, salicylic acid, and NAC can be promising adjuvants in treating acne vulgaris by their anti-microbial effect in reducing biofilm formation and improving antibiotic sensitivity. Clinical Trial NCT06179056.

Keywords: Cutibacterium acnes; Acne vulgaris; Antibiotic sensitivity.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests. Consent participant: Consent for the publication of identifiable material was obtained by the authors and all patients gave consent with the understanding that this information may be publicly available. IRB approval status: The Institutional Review Board reviewed and approved 12 the study at the Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University (ZU-IRB#10156).

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