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News
A polyphenol-rich extract from the Mediterranean rockrose plant has shown potent fungicidal activity against dermatophytes — the fungi behind common skin, hair, and nail infections. Lab tests revealed it damages fungal cells, reduces infection in skin tissue models, and shows no toxicity to skin cells. Researchers say it could pave the way for new antifungal creams or gels, though human trials are still ahead.
Researchers from Spain, Belgium, and Portugal have found that a polyphenol-rich extract from Cistus salviifolius — a sun-loving Mediterranean rockrose shrub long used in traditional medicine — can kill dermatophytes, the fungi responsible for common infections like ringworm, athlete's foot, and nail fungus. The study, published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, found the extract was especially effective against Trichophyton rubrum and Microsporum canis, two of the most prevalent culprits in fungal skin disease.
Electron microscopy revealed why: the extract causes dramatic structural damage to fungal cells — large vacuoles, membrane detachment, and cellular rupture — suggesting it disrupts multiple cellular processes at once. When tested on a reconstructed human skin model infected with dermatophytes, the extract reduced fungal load, preserved the skin barrier, and lowered inflammation, all without harming the skin's own cells.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: With antifungal resistance on the rise and limited treatment options for stubborn dermatophyte infections, plant-derived compounds like this extract could open a new avenue for safer, effective topical therapies.
