Asian J Beauty Cosmetol. 2012; 10(1): 25-30.

A Comparison Study of Antibacterial Effects of Pine Needle Extracts on Human Skin Pathogens

To compare antioxidant and antibacterial effects of pine needles of pine trees (Pinus densiflora Seib. et Zucc.) that naturally grow in Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea, on human skin pathogens, extracts of pine needles were produced by two different extraction methods, using 80% ethanol and hydrothermal fluid methods. Then, they were used in the experiment after freeze drying both extracts and dissolving with 80% ethanol. Our analysis found that hydrothermal extraction method showed 4 times higher recovery rates compared with extraction with 80% ethanol. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activity of these extracts by 1, 1-diphenyl- 2-picryl hydrazyl assay was higher than L-ascorbic acid. In paper disc method examining antibacterial effects of these on human skin pathogens, such as Escherichia coli (E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), Candida albicans (C. albicans), and Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), 80% ethanol and hydrothermal extracts both displayed antibacterial effects against E. coli, S. aureus, and P. acnes. Pine needle extracts presented especially high antibacterial effects against P. acnes. However, Pine needle extracts showed insignificant antibacterial effect against P. aeruginosa and C. albicans. In general, 80% ethanol extracts displayed greater antibacterial effects compared with hydrothermal extracts. In conclusion, pine needle extracts prepared by both 80% ethanol and hydrothermal methods can be used as antioxidant production. In addition, our results showed that hydrothermal extraction was more suitable for extract production and ethanol extraction was more suitable for antibacterial effects.

Keywords : Pine needle, Extraction condition, Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Acne