Inhibition of Propionibacterium acnes lipase by extracts of Indian medicinal plants.

Lipases play an important role in pathogenesis of acne by hydrolysing sebum triglycerides and releasing irritating free fatty acids in the pilosebaceous follicles. Lipase is a strong chemotactic and proinflammatory antigen. Therefore, lipase has generated a high interest as a pharmacological target for antiacne drugs. The aim of this study was to identify inhibitory effects of plant extracts on the lipase activity of Propionibacterium acnes. Colorimetric microassay was used to determine lipase activity. Extracts from Terminalia chebula and Embelia ribes showed lower IC(50) value (1 μg mL(-1) ) for lipase inhibition as compared to Vitex negundo and Picrorhiza kurroa (19 and 47 μg mL(-1) , respectively). The active component responsible for lipase inhibition was isolated. This study reports for the first time the novel antilipase activity of chebulagic acid (IC(50) : 60 μmol L(-1) ) with minimum inhibitory concentration value of 12.5 μg mL(-1) against P. acnes. The inhibitory potential of plant extracts was further confirmed by plate assay. The organism was grown in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of extracts from P. kurroa, V. negundo, T. chebula, E. ribes and antibiotics such as clindamycin and tetracycline. Extract from T. chebula showed significant inhibition of lipase activity and number of P. acnes.