Mediterranean rockrose extract shows fungicidal activity against common skin infections

A polyphenol-rich extract from Cistus salviifolius, a Mediterranean rockrose species traditionally used to treat skin conditions, has shown fungicidal activity against several dermatophytes, the fungi responsible for superficial infections of the skin, hair and nails.

The study, conducted by researchers from Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH), together with the universities of Namur (Belgium) and Coimbra (Portugal), has been published in Journal of Ethnopharmacology.

Dermatophytes are fungi capable of colonizing keratin-rich tissues such as the skin, hair and nails, causing common infections, including different types of ringworm. The researchers prepared the polyphenol-rich extract from plants grown in the controlled gardens at UMH and tested its activity against different fungal species.

Dermatophytes were particularly sensitive, especially Trichophyton rubrum—one of the main causes of fungal skin infections—and Microsporum canis, which can be transmitted from animals to humans. In contrast, the extract showed no antifungal activity at the concentrations tested against yeasts such as Candida albicans.

From traditional use to laboratory testing

The rockrose species studied is a resilient, sun-loving evergreen shrub native to the Mediterranean Basin that thrives in dry, rocky soils. It has traditionally been used in different regions in topical preparations to treat wounds, inflammation and skin infections.

“Traditional medicine provides us with clues, but we need to experimentally determine what lies behind these uses, what biological processes are actually taking place and under what conditions they may be useful,” explains Vicente Micol Molina, a researcher at the Institute for Research in Biotechnology and Health (IDiBE) at UMH.

The results do not support applying the plant directly to the skin, but rather support further research into controlled formulations in which the composition and behavior of the extract are known.

Before testing its effect against fungi, the team had already analyzed the composition of the extract using techniques capable of separating and identifying its molecules. They found that it was composed mainly of polyphenols, including tannins and flavonoids.

To investigate how the extract acted, they examined treated fungi using electron microscopy. The images revealed major alterations: large vacuoles, disorganization of the cell interior, membrane detachment and cellular debris outside the cells, suggesting that some cells had lost their contents or ruptured.

The authors suggest that the extract may disrupt several fungal cellular processes at once, although further research is needed to determine which compounds are responsible for its activity.

“We observed that the fungus stops growing and that its cells sustain substantial damage. This helps us understand why the rockrose extract has fungicidal activity and allows us to begin investigating the specific mechanisms involved,” says Francisco Javier Álvarez Martínez, an IDiBE researcher and first author of the study.

Testing the extract in a human epidermis model

The extract was also tested on reconstructed human epidermis, tissue grown in the laboratory from primary keratinocytes, the cells that make up most of the outer layer of the skin.

The researchers infected this tissue with dermatophytes to study whether the treatment could slow the infection and protect the skin barrier. When applied after infection, the rockrose extract reduced fungal load and tissue invasion, preserved the epidermal barrier and decreased the inflammatory response. It also did not reduce keratinocyte viability under the conditions tested.

“This means that, in this model and at the concentrations used, the extract showed no toxicity to the main cells of the epidermis. This is an important result, although it is still not enough to say that it is safe as a treatment in humans,” the UMH researcher cautions.

Potential for future topical formulations

The study also detected antioxidant activity and the ability to inhibit enzymes that degrade skin components such as collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid.

These results support further investigation of Cistus salviifolius extract for the development of potential topical formulations, such as creams or hydrogels, but it has not yet been tested as a treatment in humans. The next steps include studying its effects on resistant fungal strains, developing formulations and confirming its safety and efficacy in animal models and, subsequently, in clinical trials.

Who’s behind this story?

Sadie Harley

BSc Life Sciences & Ecology. Microbiology lab background with pharmaceutical news experience in oil, gas, and renewable industries.

Full profile →

Robert Egan

Bachelor’s in mathematical biology, Master’s in creative writing. Well-traveled with unique perspectives on science and language.

Full profile →