Linoleic Fatty Acid from Rwandan Propolis: A Potential Antimicrobial Agent Against <i>Cutibacterium acnes</i>
2025
Florent Rouvier | Lydia Abou | Emmanuel Wafo | Jean Michel Brunel
Acne is a very common skin condition that causes pimples in 80% of adolescents despite the many effective treatments developed. Various compounds have been employed in the treatment of acne, including erythromycin ointments and antiseptics, yielding mixed results. The rise in erythromycin-resistant <i>C. acnes</i> strains has driven the pursuit of new antimicrobial agents, especially those obtained from natural sources. Propolis that was collected in Rwanda was extracted, fractioned, and analyzed for its activity against <i>C. acnes</i> growth in accordance with NCLSI guidelines. Our work revealed that linoleic acid has a significant effect on <i>C. acnes</i> growth at a low concentration (16 µg/mL). A comparison of the antimicrobial activities of a broad panel of well-known fatty acids revealed a specific mode of action for linoleic acid, characterized by a significant membranotropic effect on <i>Bacillus cereus</i> established by measuring extracellular ATP levels as an indicator of membrane permeability. Our data suggest that linoleic acid is effective against <i>C. acnes</i> and could be a promising candidate for developing a propolis-based ointment for acne treatment.
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