Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid & Oleanolic Acid

Product Overview

DropCare® Acne C is a functional anti-acne active built around Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid (NDGA) and Oleanolic Acid, delivered in an osmotic gel system. The two plant-derived actives act through complementary, multi-target mechanisms, intervening in the acne cascade across four dimensions—sebum production, follicular keratinization, inflammatory response, and bacterial proliferation—making it suitable for daily care and targeted anti-acne formulations for oily and acne-prone skin.

Oleanolic Acid exhibits well-defined inhibitory activity against 5α-reductase, reducing the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and thereby attenuating hypersecretion by the sebaceous glands at the hormonal signaling level. This mechanism addresses the upstream "excess sebum" driver of acne, rather than merely absorbing or removing sebum after it has been produced.

Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid (NDGA) exerts dual anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory activity on keratinocytes, alleviating hyperkeratinization at the follicular infundibulum and reducing the keratin accumulation that leads to pore obstruction—the critical structural basis for microcomedone and closed comedone formation.

NDGA directly targets acne-associated inflammatory cascades, dampening the amplification of inflammatory mediators, while Oleanolic Acid demonstrates antimicrobial activity against acne-relevant organisms such as Corynebacterium acnes. The combination yields a synergistic effect: antimicrobial activity is strengthened while the correction of hyperkeratinization is concomitantly enhanced, creating dual suppression across the "inflammation–bacteria–keratinization" triangle.

The recommended use level in the final formulation is 0.5–5%