Applied Just for Skin Soothing...Study Finds It Suppresses Antibiotic Resistance

A study has found that Centella asiatica-derived ingredients, widely used in Korean cosmetics for their skin-soothing properties, may be able to suppress antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Centella asiatica. Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Culture

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According to Science Daily on April 21, 2026 (local time), a research team at the University of Kent in the United Kingdom announced that madecassic acid, derived from Centella asiatica, has shown the potential to inhibit antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The study was conducted in collaboration with University College London.

Centella asiatica is also known as "tiger grass," a name that comes from the story that tigers would roll on this plant to heal their wounds. Due to its strong skin-regenerating effects, it is widely used as a cosmetic ingredient in Korea.

The researchers analyzed madecassic acid by combining computer-based screening with laboratory experiments.

The results showed that this compound demonstrated strong antibacterial properties and could serve as a starting point for new drug development.

Because developing new antibiotics is costly and time-consuming, finding promising candidates from natural substances is considered a key challenge. The media outlet reported, "This study comes at a time when the problem of antibiotic resistance is intensifying. Drug-resistant infections are becoming increasingly difficult to treat, and experts estimate that between 2025 and 2050, approximately 39 million people could die due to antibiotic resistance."

In the study, madecassic acid was found to inhibit the growth of antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli (E. coli). This compound works by binding to the cytochrome bd complex, a protein system that bacteria use for survival and respiration during the infection process. Because this system does not exist in humans or animals, it has potential as a therapeutic target.

When this process is blocked, bacteria are unable to function normally. The researchers explained that this suggests madecassic acid could be developed as an alternative antibacterial agent that works differently from conventional antibiotics.

In addition, madecassic acid was found to have the advantage of being chemically modifiable. The researchers extracted this ingredient from plants collected in Vietnam and created three modified compounds. All of these blocked the cytochrome bd complex and inhibited bacterial growth; some of the modified compounds also showed the ability to kill E. coli at high concentrations.

The research team plans to further improve these compounds to enhance their efficacy and consider their potential for development as actual pharmaceuticals.

The media outlet noted, "These findings may also have implications for the skincare field," adding, "Madecassic acid could help us better understand how cosmetic use of the compound affects the natural bacteria present on the skin."

Dr. Mark Shepherd, a leading researcher in microbial biochemistry, stated, "Plants have been a source of natural medicines for thousands of years, and modern research is revealing their mechanisms of action. I hope we can continue to expand our understanding of antimicrobial substances derived from nature's vast chemical factory."

This study was published in the latest issue of the academic journal RSC Medicinal Chemistry.

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