Mediterranean rockrose extract shows fungicidal activity against fungi that cause common skin infections
A polyphenol-rich extract from Cistus salviifolius showed fungicidal activity against several dermatophytes and reduced fungal infection in a reconstructed human epidermis model
image:
Transmission electron microscopy images of the dermatophytes T. rubrum (A–F) and M. canis (G–L). The images show untreated cells (A, B, G, H) and cells treated with C. salviifolius extract (C–F, I–L), showing alterations in cellular structure. Arrows indicate autophagy-like structures. Source: Álvarez-Martínez et al., Journal of Ethnopharmacology.
view moreCredit: Álvarez-Martínez et al., Journal of Ethnopharmacology. / UMH
A polyphenol-rich extract from Cistus salviifolius, a Mediterranean rockrose species traditionally used to treat skin conditions, has shown fungicidal activity against several dermatophytes, the fungi responsible for superficial infections of the skin, hair and nails. The study, conducted by researchers from Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH), together with the universities of Namur (Belgium) and Coimbra (Portugal), has been published in Journal of Ethnopharmacology.
Dermatophytes are fungi capable of colonizing keratin-rich tissues such as the skin, hair and nails, causing very common infections, including different types of ringworm. The researchers prepared the polyphenol-rich extract from plants grown in the controlled gardens at UMH and tested its activity against different fungal species. Dermatophytes were particularly sensitive, especially Trichophyton rubrum—one of the main causes of fungal skin infections—and Microsporum canis, which can be transmitted from animals to humans. In contrast, the extract showed no antifungal activity at the concentrations tested against yeasts such as Candida albicans.
From traditional use to laboratory testing
The rockrose species studied is a resilient, sun-loving evergreen shrub native to the Mediterranean Basin that thrives in dry, rocky soils. It has traditionally been used in different regions in topical preparations to treat wounds, inflammation and skin infections. “Traditional medicine provides us with clues, but we need to experimentally determine what lies behind these uses, what biological processes are actually taking place and under what conditions they may be useful,” explains Vicente Micol Molina, a researcher at the Institute for Research in Biotechnology and Health (IDiBE) at UMH. The results do not support applying the plant directly to the skin, but rather support further research into controlled formulations in which the composition and behavior of the extract are known.
Before testing its effect against fungi, the team had already analyzed the composition of the extract using techniques capable of separating and identifying its molecules. They found that it was composed mainly of polyphenols, including tannins and flavonoids. To investigate how the extract acted, they examined treated fungi using electron microscopy. The images revealed major alterations: large vacuoles, disorganization of the cell interior, membrane detachment and cellular debris outside the cells, suggesting that some cells had lost their contents or ruptured. The authors suggest that the extract may disrupt several fungal cellular processes at once, although further research is needed to determine which compounds are responsible for its activity.
“We observed that the fungus stops growing and that its cells sustain substantial damage. This helps us understand why the rockrose extract has fungicidal activity and allows us to begin investigating the specific mechanisms involved,” says Francisco Javier Álvarez Martínez, IDiBE researcher and first author of the study.
Testing the extract in a human epidermis model
The extract was also tested on reconstructed human epidermis, tissue grown in the laboratory from primary keratinocytes, the cells that make up most of the outer layer of the skin.The researchers infected this tissue with dermatophytes to study whether the treatment could slow the infection and protect the skin barrier. When applied after infection, the rockrose extract reduced fungal load and tissue invasion, preserved the epidermal barrier and decreased the inflammatory response. It also did not reduce keratinocyte viability under the conditions tested.
“This means that, in this model and at the concentrations used, the extract showed no toxicity to the main cells of the epidermis. This is an important result, although it is still not enough to say that it is safe as a treatment in humans,” the UMH researcher cautions.
Potential for future topical formulations
The study also detected antioxidant activity and the ability to inhibit enzymes that degrade skin components such as collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid. These results support further investigation of Cistus salviifolius extract for the development of potential topical formulations, such as creams or hydrogels, but it has not yet been tested as a treatment in humans. The next steps include studying its effects on resistant fungal strains, developing formulations, and confirming its safety and efficacy in animal models and, subsequently, in clinical trials.
In addition to Álvarez Martínez and Micol Molina, the UMH researchers involved in the study include IDiBE researcher Nerea Pons Rocamora and IDiBE researcher Enrique Barrajón Catalán, together with researchers from the universities of Namur and Coimbra. The research received European funding and support from public bodies in Spain, Portugal and Belgium, including the European Union through the NextGenerationEU programme, as well as the Generalitat Valenciana, the Valencian Innovation Agency and the Daniel and Nina Carasso Foundation.
Journal
Journal of Ethnopharmacology
Method of Research
Experimental study
Subject of Research
Lab-produced tissue samples
Article Title
Polyphenol-rich Cistus salviifolius L. extract exerts fungicidal activity against dermatophytes through severe ultrastructural disruption
Cistus salviifolius, Cistaceae -
Credit
Jeantosti. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ciste2.jpg
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