A synergistic herbal formulation targeting Malassezia furfur and Staphylococcus epidermidis for effective dandruff management

Dandruff is a chronic scalp condition and the mildest form of seborrheic dermatitis, associated with microbial dysbiosis primarily involving Malassezia furfur and Staphylococcus epidermidis . Conventional anti-dandruff treatments are often limited by recurrence and reliance on synthetic antifungal agents. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a synergistic, oil-based herbal formulation with antimicrobial activity against dandruff-causing microorganisms. The herbal constituent, Eucalyptus citriodora (EC) oil, individually signifies its efficacy against key dandruff-causing microbes, while Centella asiatica and Wedelia trilobata were included for their complementary bioactive and skin-healing properties. A total of three formulations (F1, F2, and F3), containing 8, 10, and 12% EC oil, respectively, were tested for antimicrobial efficacy. The optimized formulations (F2 and F3) exhibited significant antimicrobial activity, resulting in 1.8–1.9-fold and 2.0–2.5-fold reductions in M. furfur and S. epidermidis cell viability, respectively. Fluorescence-based LIVE/DEAD viability assays and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed membrane disruption and structural damage in the treated cells of M. furfur . In addition, molecular docking and dynamics simulations demonstrated strong binding affinities of Eucalyptus citriodora oil constituents toward lanosterol 14α-demethylase (LDM), suggesting disruption of the ergosterol biosynthesis pathway as a plausible antifungal mechanism. The obtained findings indicated that the formulated herbal combination exerts a multi-targeted antimicrobial effect and represents a promising natural alternative for controlling microbial populations involved in dandruff pathogenesis.