Can Gentisic Acid Serve as a High-Performance Antioxidant with Lower Toxicity for a Promising New Topical...

Area of Science:

• Dermatology and Cosmetic Science
• Natural Product Chemistry
• Microbiology

Background:

• Gentisic acid (2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid) is a plant-derived compound with known biological activities.
• Its potential as a topical ingredient for skin applications requires further investigation regarding efficacy and safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial efficacy of gentisic acid.
• To assess the safety profile of gentisic acid through cytotoxicity testing for topical applications.

Main Methods:

• Antioxidant activity was measured using the DPPH kinetic method.
• Antimicrobial efficacy was determined by Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) against relevant bacteria and fungi.
• Cytotoxicity was evaluated using the neutral red uptake (NRU) methodology on various cell lines.

Main Results:

• Gentisic acid demonstrated significant antioxidant activity (EC50 = 0.09, ARP = 11.1).
• Effective antimicrobial concentrations (MIC) were established against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, and Cutibacterium acnes (novel data).
• Low cytotoxicity was observed across HaCat, HDFa, and HepG2 cells at relevant concentrations (novel data).

Conclusions:

• Gentisic acid possesses potent antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.
• The compound exhibits a favorable safety profile with low cytotoxicity.
• Gentisic acid is a promising candidate for topical applications in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.