Multifunctional dermatological formulation with sophorolipids from Starmerella bombicola and copaiba essential oil: antimicrobial, antiviral, and antioxidant properties

The combination of sophorolipids and copaiba essential oil in a multifunctional facial formulation aimed at the treatment of conditions such as acne and herpetic folliculitis was evaluated. Sophorolipids produced by Starmerella bombicola reached 38.37 g/l, predominantly in the lactonic form. Their antimicrobial activity, alone and combined with copaiba oil, was evaluated against Cutibacterium acnes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis. The combination reduced the minimum inhibitory concentration against C. acnes from 62.50 to 31.25 μg/ml, demonstrating an additive effect. Antiviral assays showed strong anti-HSV-1 activity, with 95.58% inhibition in the virucidal test and 63.99% in the antiviral assay. Three dermocosmetic formulations were developed, and the optimized formulation achieved 91.45% inhibition of C. acnes and 26.17% antioxidant activity, confirming its multifunctional potential. The application of a formulation combining sophorolipids and copaiba oil shows promising potential for the treatment of skin conditions, demonstrating significant antimicrobial activity against C. acnes as well as adequate physicochemical stability.