Rosa damascena hydrosol found to reduce the pathogenicity of microbes and inhibit skin inflammation

Researchers at Teikyo University in Japan investigated the effects of Damask rose (Rosa damascena) water on the growth of Candida albicans and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and on the function of neutrophils, which are key regulators of inflammatory reactions. They reported their findings in an article published in Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin.

• Hydrosol prepared from the flowers of R. damascena is traditionally used to treat various health issues, including skin conditions like erythema, itchiness and swelling.
• To treat skin problems caused by microbial infections, agents with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties are important.
• The researchers tested Damask rose water on C. albicans and MRSA, which commonly causes skin infections, and assessed its effects on neutrophil adhesion response.
• They reported that rose water (2.2. percent solution) inhibited mycelial growth of C. albicans and reduced the viability of MRSA within an hour of treatment.
• Damask rose water (five to 15 percent) also suppressed neutrophil activation induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a) and N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (fMLP).
• Additionally, Damask rose water reduced LPS- and TNF-a-induced cell surface expression of the adhesion-related molecule, cluster of differentiation (CD) 11b but did not affect the migratory capacity of neutrophils (with or without a chemoattractant).

Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that Damask rose water can reduce the pathogenicity of microbes and attenuate neutrophil stimulation, thus inhibiting skin inflammation caused by microbial infections.

Journal Reference:

Maruyama N, Tansho-Nagakawa S, Miyazaki C, Shimomura K, Ono Y, Abe S. INHIBITION OF NEUTROPHIL ADHESION AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY BY DILUTED HYDROSOL PREPARED FROM ROSA DAMASCENA. Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin. 2017;40(2):161-168. DOI: 10.1248/bpb.b16-00644