Resveralife came across a study that was published in the Dermatology and Therapy Journal in the year 2014. The study was conducted by a group of researchers working for the UCLA and it discovered that resveratrol, a compound found in the skin of red grapes, can help in inhibiting the growth of bacteria that leads to acne. Resveratrol has also been prescribed by specialists because of its skin benefits and heart-health properties.
The researchers discovered that combining benzoyl peroxide (a common acne medication) with resveratrol substantially enhanced the drug’s effectiveness in killing the acne bacteria and also inhibits its growth. Resveratrol is an excellent antioxidant that prevents the cell and tissue damage caused by free radicals. On the other hand, benzoyl peroxide is an oxidant that creates free radicals, which in turn kill the acne bacteria. According to the findings of this study, a combination of benzoyl peroxide and resveratrol attacked the Propionibacterium acnes (the acne causing bacteria) in multiple ways.
Millions of people are known to suffer from acne all over the world. The appearance of acne has a significant psychosocial effect on the person who suffers from it, but very limited progress has been made in terms of offering effective acne solutions. Researchers have mentioned that all current treatments like retinoids and benzoyl peroxide are limited by side effects and antibiotic resistance.
According to Dr. Emma Taylor, the first author of this study, the researchers initially believed that the combination of the two ingredients would cancel out because the two compounds are opposing. However, in reality, the study ended up demonstrating that combining an antioxidant with an oxidant can not only enhance both ingredients, but also offer sustained bacteria-fighting capabilities over a period of time.
As a part of the study, researchers grew colonies of acne causing bacteria and added different concentrations of both ingredients, including individual ingredient compositions. The cultures were monitored for bacterial activity for a period of 10 days. It was found that benzoyl peroxide killed the bacteria at all concentration levels, but the effect never lasted for more than 24 hours. Cultures that only had resveratrol showed inhibited bacteria growth for a longer period of time. However, cultures that had a combination of both ingredients proved to be the most effective in reducing bacteria both in terms of count and duration.
Dr. Jenny Kim, a senior author of the study, mentions that the results were almost like combining the best of different worlds to offer the body a two-pronged protection from the acne causing bacteria.
The researchers also tested both compounds for their toxicity on cultured human blood cells and skin cells. It was noted that resveratrol was less toxic than benzoyl peroxide. This explained the reasons why the skin becomes irritated and reddish when high doses of benzoyl peroxide are used to treat acne. Researchers noted that combining both compounds minimized their toxicity and offered a prolonged antibacterial effect on the acne causing bacteria.
These findings could actually lead to less irritating and more effective topical therapies for acne. The next step of this study is expected to involve more laboratory testings so as understand the mechanisms of both compounds better. Vine Vera believes that this study shows great promise for people suffering from acne issues because it could lead to the development of a number of highly effective treatments.
