Determination of chemical structure of antifungal Pityrosporum orbiculare ingredient from Alpinia galanga Swartz in Vietnam

Greater galangal rhizomes have been used as medicinal herbs to treat pityriasis versicolor and other diseases. By using a premilinary examination from TLC and the antifungal activity against Pityrosporum orbiculare, a new component was extracted from rhizomes of Alpinia galanga Swartz in Vietnam. The chemical structure of this component was determined by GC-MS and 1H & 13C NMR. Galangal acetate was a colorless, pungent and oily liquid. It showed the antifungal activity against P. orbiculare with MIC = 0.25 ml/ml

Statistical and mycologic studies on dandruff / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: Previous studies suggested that Pityrosporum may play an important role in the pathogenesis of dandruff. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to study the statistical and mycobgic findings of dandruff in normal subjects for better understanding of this condition. MEHTODS: Scales frorn the scalp of 384 students were studied stastistically by answer sheets and clinically by a dermatologist. Mycologic studies of Pityrosporum were also performed by direct smear, culture and inoculation to guinea pigs. RESULTS: There were 76.0% subjects with dandruff. Clinically grading the subjects by Kligrnan's scale, grade III and IV(mild caling) were the most. Dandruff developed commonly at the age of 14 to 16, and no seasonal change was observed. Spores of Pityrosporum were observed in all subjects by KOH microscopic examination with Cohens method, and the grading of the dandruff was not related with the number of the spores. In most subjects, P. orbiculare and P. ovae were found together. Positive culture colonies were observed in 93.7%. Inoculation of the cultured colonies to guinea pigs resulted in an experimental dermatitis. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that Pityrosporum may involve in the pathogenesis of dandruff; however, it is still unclear whether Pityrosporum is a main causative agent of dandruff.