Bacteria
play a crucial role in skin health. For example, Staphylococcus
aureus and Propionibacterium
acnes cause skin roughness and acne, whereas Staphylococcus epidermidis enhances innate barrier
immunity. Therefore, controlling the bacterial flora is important
in dermatology and cosmetic chemistry. In this study, the bactericidal
activities of different metal salts of lauric acid were evaluated.
The bactericidal behavior of the salts changed according to the type
of metal ion. Specifically, the Mg-, Ca-, and Mn-containing salts
effectively sterilized only S. aureus and P. acnes. Their Co, Ni, and Cu
salts sterilized all bacteria, including S. epidermidis, whereas the Zn salt proved ineffective. The Cu salt displayed the
strongest bactericidal activity. Spin-trapping, detected using electron
spin resonance, showed that this salt catalyzed the generation of
hydroxyl radicals, which can destroy bacterial cell membranes. These
findings demonstrate that metal-ion selection is an important factor
in the design of bactericidal agents for healthcare products.