Effectiveness of Tretinoin Gel Preparation as an Anti-Acne Agent In Rats (Rattus Novergicus)

Background: Acne is a chronic inflammatory disorder affecting hair follicles and manifests as comedones, papules, pustules, nodules, and cysts. Its development is associated with excessive sebum secretion, abnormal keratinization, inflammation, and microbial proliferation. Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), a Gram-positive anaerobic bacterium, contributes to acne development by triggering inflammatory responses. Objective: This study aimed to formulate tretinoin gel and nanogel preparations and evaluate their anti-acne effectiveness. Methods: An experimental design was employed to evaluate the anti-acne effectiveness of tretinoin gel and nanogel preparations in male rats (Rattus norvegicus). Observations were conducted at 2 × 24 hours after induction and on days 7, 14, and 21. Results: The nanogel preparation showed the highest percentage reduction in ear inflammation diameter, reaching 81.68%, compared with 71.78% for Vitacid® gel and 70.10% for conventional tretinoin gel. The average particle size of the nanogel was 38.82 nm, whereas the conventional preparation had a reported particle size of 22,451 nm. Conclusion: Tretinoin nanogel demonstrated the highest anti-acne effectiveness among the tested preparations based on the reduction in ear inflammation diameter.