PSY’s “Gangnam Style”, released in 2012, marked the beginning of South Korea’s aesthetic and style becoming a brand. By the late 2010s, Korean pop (K-pop) bands like BTS and BLACKPINK, and K-dramas, took the world by storm, especially their fashion and skincare. K-beauty inspired many to use Korean skincare products, which, according to Marie Claire’s digital beauty editor Katie Thomas, is 10-12 years ahead of the rest of the world. One such trendy skincare compound, called madecassic acid, can fight drug-resistant bacteria, a worldwide health hazard.
Researchers at University College London (UCL) merged computer-based screening with laboratory experiments to study madecassic acid. The compound is derived from Centella asiatica, a common herb used in Asian medicine, and a huge favorite of K-beauty brands. The compound has strong antibacterial properties, which can kickstart a new way of seeing beauty products’ ingredients in medicine.
The Silent Pandemic— Antimicrobial/Antibiotic Resistance
Dr. Saia Ma’u Piukala, Regional Director for the WHO in the Western Pacific Region, calls antimicrobial resistance the ‘next pandemic’. Globally, one in six bacterial infections is resistant to antibiotic treatment. Drug-resistant infections are becoming harder to treat, and antibiotic resistance could cause 39 million deaths between 2025 and 2050. Developing new antibiotics is a cumbersome and expensive process, making promising compounds from natural sources a potent alternative in the coming days.
How does Madecassic Acid kill Bacteria?
The research, published in RSC Medicinal Chemistry, reported that madecassic acid can prevent antibiotic-resistant E. coli from growing. The compound binds to the cytochrome bd complex, a protein system that bacteria use for respiration in low-oxygen environments, and also in pathogenesis. Since the cytochrome bd complex is absent in humans or animals, it is an attractive target for new treatments, with no risk of collateral damage.
Madecassic acid disrupts the bacteria’s ability to function properly by interfering with its biochemical processes, such as ATP synthesis—the production of energy (ATP) through respiration. This suggests it could be developed as an alternative that deviates from the mechanism of action of existing antibiotics.
Modified Versions Show Stronger Effect
The chemical structure of madecassic acid can be altered, making it extremely versatile and perhaps broad-spectrum. Researchers extracted the compound from a plant sample in Vietnam and prepared three variants, each of which successfully blocked the cytochrome bd complex and stopped bacterial growth.
One version of the compound could even kill E. coli at higher concentrations. Scientists plan to develop new versions of madecassic acid and refine them to improve their antimicrobial properties and explore their potential as future medicines.
Potential Impact on Skin Microbiome
Humans are called superorganisms—or holobionts —which are ecosystems of their own. Human cells and tissues are in symbiosis with bacterial, fungal, and other microbial cells. In fact, more microorganisms are present in our body than human cells. Hence, the potential effects of madecassic acid on the skin’s natural bacteria must be studied. Apart from medical insights, the findings can expand our concepts of madecassic acid’s broader biological effects.
Lead author Dr. Mark Shepherd, Reader in Microbial Biochemistry at Kent, said: “Plants have been a source of natural medicines for millennia, and now contemporary research approaches can reveal the mechanisms of action. This is an exciting time, and we hope to further our understanding of natural antimicrobials from plants, nature’s great chemical factories.”
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