Propionibacterium acne is a …show more content…
It is associated with acne and prefers anaerobic growth condition. A clogged hair follicle provides an optimal environment for P. acne to grow exponentially because there is a low level of oxygen. Gram-positive bacterium is less resistance to the activity of essential oils and their components compared to Gram-negative bacterium. Gram-positive bacterium has a single lipid membrane that is surrounded by a cell wall composed of a thick layer of peptidoglycan and lipoteichoic acid. The structure allows hydrophobic molecules to easily penetrate the cell and act on both the cell wall and within the cytoplasm. The hydrophobicity of essential oils can disrupt bacterial structures: degrading the cell wall, damaging the cytoplasmic and membrane proteins, which results in permeability and leakage of cell contents. Toxic effects on the membrane structure and function are generally used to explain the antimicrobial activity of