How did Centre for Applied Bioscience Research (CABR) help Atlantik Body Care determine their body wash’s antimicrobial properties? Case Study

Case Study Highlights

  • Company Name: Atlantik Body Care

  • Project Goal: To test Atlantik Body Care’s body wash’s antimicrobial and antifungal efficacy and to validate its ability to combat harmful bacteria and fungi linked to common skin issues, while remaining exceptionally gentle and nourishing for the skin.

  • Project Outcome: Atlantik Body Care’s product was found to be a potent antimicrobial and antifungal agent.

  • Staff Involved: Dr Emma J. Murphy (Supervisor), Aoife Mulry (PhD researcher), Grace Lawlor (PhD researcher).

  • Project Funding: Enterprise Ireland’s Innovation Voucher scheme.

The Company

Atlantik Body Care is an Irish skincare brand founded by Kevin Moore, a dedicated PE teacher and athlete, and Eoin Breen, an operations and manufacturing professional with a deep interest in holistic health. The range of products offered by Atlantik Body Care includes body wash, moisturisers, and serums.

Project Funding  

The project was funded using Enterprise Ireland’s Innovation Voucher scheme, which can finance up to €10,000 worth of research.

Staff Involved

The project was supervised by Dr Emma J. Murphy and conducted by PhD researchers at TUS Athlone, working with the CABR team: Aoife Mulry and Grace Lawlor. 

Project Context & Problem

Atlantik Body Care has created a distinctive natural bodywash made entirely of natural ingredients, free from synthetic chemicals, and partnered with the Centre for Applied Bioscience Research (CABR) to evaluate its antimicrobial properties. These properties help combat harmful microorganisms, including fungi, bacteria, and bacterial biofilms, which can contribute to infections. The study specifically assessed the bodywash’s effectiveness against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), as well as Trichophyton rubrum (T. rubrum). By targeting these pathogens, the bodywash enhances cleanliness and skin protection.

About Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are commonly found as commensal bacteria on the skin, playing a beneficial role in maintaining skin health. However, under some circumstances, these bacteria can transition from commensals to opportunistic pathogens, causing infections on open wounds.

About Trichophyton rubrum

Trichophyton rubrum (T. rubrum) is a dermatophytic fungus that commonly causes infections of the skin, hair, and nails in humans. T. rubrum is a major cause of various dermatophytosis, including tinea corporis (ringworm of the body), tinea pedis (athlete’s foot), tinea cruris (jock itch), tinea capitis (ringworm of the scalp), and onychomycosis (fungal nail infections). These infections can present with symptoms such as itching, redness, scaling, and sometimes blistering of the affected skin or nails.

Solution through CABR 

Atlantik Body Care’s natural body wash was tested for antimicrobial and antifungal properties against:

  • Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), linked to acne, impetigo, and folliculitis.
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), associated with wound infections and biofilm formation.
  • Trichophyton rubrum (T. rubrum), the fungus responsible for ringworm, athlete’s foot, and jock itch.

Antifungal Susceptibility Testing (AST) was conducted in accordance with the recommended standards of EUCAST.

These methods incorporate significant modifications, including:

  • customization of the test medium to selectively cultivate dermatophytes;
  • refinement of incubation time and temperature parameters;
  • adoption of a unique endpoint criterion, employing spectrophotometric analysis to assess fungal growth.

Experiments were conducted in triplicate to enhance result reliability and reproducibility, minimizing the influence of random errors and ensuring robust findings.

Project Outcomes (Key Findings)

  1. Antibacterial Activity – Atlantik Body Care demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus in well diffusion assays. However, its efficacy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was less pronounced.
  2. Antifungal Activity – The product demonstrated superior antifungal activity against Trichophyton rubrum, particularly in the well diffusion assay.
  3. Biofilm Inhibition – Atlantik Body Care exhibited the ability to inhibit biofilm formation by S. aureus and P. aeruginosa, with particularly strong biofilm inhibition against P. aeruginosa.
  4. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) – The MIC assays highlighted some challenges with turbidity in diluted Atlantik Body Care samples, leading to difficulties in obtaining accurate readings. Despite this, the product demonstrated promising antifungal activity at various concentrations. However, efficacy decreased significantly with higher dilutions, though it remains a promising option for infection prevention and treatment.

Overall, the Atlantik Body Care product was found to be a potent antimicrobial and antifungal agent, showing efficacy similar to or better than other products currently available on the market in various tests. Its ability to inhibit biofilm formation and its penetration in well diffusion assays identify it as a promising product for preventing and treating infections caused by skin commensals and fungal pathogens.

Testimonial

“We partnered with CABR to test Body Armour against some of the toughest bacterial and fungal threats to skin health. The results exceeded expectations, proving that a truly natural body wash can offer exceptional efficacy while being incredibly gentle on the skin. This validation supports our mission to redefine natural skincare through science.”

— Kevin Moore, Co-Founder, Atlantik Body Care