IN VITRO ANTIACNE ACTIVITY OF MARINE SPONGE ACANTHELLA CAVERNOSA EXTRACTS
Propionibacterium acnes is recognized as one of common skin microflora that triggers the inflammation in acne. Here, we investigated the potentials of marine sponge Acanthella cavernosa extracts for management of acne. Methanolic, ethanolic, and hexane extracts of A. cavernosa were tested for antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities against P. acnes, as well as antioxidant activity. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) assays were conducted for antibacterial assay. A. cavernosa was also tested for its ability to prevent P. acnes biofilm formation by performing crystal violet assay. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method was used for testing antioxidant activity. Ethanolic A. cavernosa extract exerted MIC and MBC values of 125 and 250 μg/ml against P. acnes. At 250 μg/ml, ethanolic A. cavernosa extract was found to inhibit the formation of P. acnes biofilm up to 45%, respectively. All A. cavernosa extracts up to 250 μg/ml only showed slight antioxidant activity (~30%). Among all extracts, ethanolic extract of A. cavernosa demonstrated the optimal antibacterial and antibiofilm potentials against P. acnes in vitro. These results suggest that marine sponge A. cavernosa may be naturally applied for cosmeceuticals targeting acne prevention