Formulation and Antibacterial Activity of Gel Mask Based on Wild Honeybees (Apis dorsata) Honey Nanoparticles Againts Propionibacterium acnes

Abstract

Acne is a skin condition caused by the bacterium Propionibacterium acnes. Honey from the Asian honeybee (Apis dorsata) is known to possess antibacterial activity that can be enhanced through nanoparticle technology. This study aims to determine the antibacterial activity of Asian honeybee honey and honey nanoparticles against Propionibacterium acnes, the characteristics of the nanoparticles, and the antibacterial activity of a honey nanoparticle-based gel mask in inhibiting the growth of Propionibacterium acnes. Honey nanoparticles were prepared using the ionic gelation method with chitosan and sodium tripolyphosphate (Na-TPP), then formulated into a gel mask at concentrations of 25%, 35%, and 45%. Antibacterial activity was determined through Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) testing, while nanoparticle characterization included particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), and zeta potential. The results showed that wild forest honey had an MIC of 25% and an MBC of 50%, while the honey nanoparticles had an MIC of 6.25% and an MBC of 12.5%. The resulting nanoparticles had a particle size of 137.37 nm, a PDI value of 0.329, and a zeta potential of +32.73 mV. The evaluation results showed that all formulations met the physical requirements for the preparation, with formulation F3 (45%) exhibiting the best antibacterial activity against Propionibacterium acnes. Wild bee honey nanoparticles exhibit higher antibacterial activity than wild bee honey. The increased antibacterial activity of the honey nanoparticles is thought to be due to their smaller particle size, which enhances the penetration of bioactive compounds and the interaction of chitosan amino groups with bacterial cell membranes. Based on these results, wild bee honey nanoparticles formulated into a gel mask have the potential to serve as a topical preparation with antibacterial activity against Propionibacterium acnes.