Torreya nucifera Essential Oil Inhibits Skin Pathogen Growth and Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammatory Effects

In this study, the chemical composition of Torreya nucifera essential oil (TEO) and its biological activities were analyzed. TEO was obtained by steam distillation from leaves collected from Jeju Island and analyzed using gas chromatography (GC)-flame ionization detection (FID) and GC-MS. dl-Lirnonene (30.1 %), (delta)-3-carene (15.37%) and (alpha)-pinene (11.5%) were the major components in TEO. The antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities of TEO against skin pathogens have not previously been reported. Thus, we assessed the antibacterial activities of TEO using the disk diffusion method. TEO showed excellent antibacterial activities against Propionibacterium acnes, Propionibacterium granulosum, Malassezia furfur, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Candida albicans. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of TEO against these skin pathogens ranged from 2.5 to 20.0 (mu)mL -1. In addition, TEO reduced the LPS-induced secretion of interleukin- 1 (beta)(IL-l (beta), IL-6, NO and PGE, in RAW 264.7 cells, indicating that it has anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, we suggest that TEO may be an attractive candidate for promoting skin health.