Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of essential oils from Citrus aurantifolia leaves and fruit peel against oral pathogenic bacteria.

Raiane S Lemes,Tainá C.L Dos Santos,Cassia C.F Alves,Mayker L.D Miranda,Carlos H.G Martins,Elisângela B.B Estevam,Mariana B Santiago,Antônio E.M Crotti

doi:10.1590/0001-3765201820170847

Abstract

Tooth decay is a major public health problem which affects a large number of people in several countries. Even though more than 700 bacterial species have been detected in the oral cavity, Streptococcus and Lactobacillus stand out as the genera that cause tooth decay and other periodontal diseases. In this study, essential oils from Citrus aurantifolia leaves (CL-EO) and fruit peel (CP-EO) were obtained by hydrodistillation by a Clevenger-type apparatus whereas their chemical composition was analyzed by gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Limonene (77.5 %), linalool (20.1 %), citronellal (14.5 %) and citronellol (14.2 %) were the main constituents found in the essential oils from C. aurantifolia leaves and fruit peel. Antibacterial activity of essential oils was evaluated in terms of its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values by the broth microdilution method in 96-well microplates. Both CL-EO and CP-EO displayed some activity against all oral pathogens under investigation; MIC values ranged from 20 to 200 µg/mL. CL-EO and CP-EO not only had promising activity against Streptococcus mutans (MIC = 20 µg/mL) and Lactobacillus casei (31.25 µg/mL), but also displayed antibacterial activity against all studied cariogenic bacteria. Efficacy of essential oils against S. mutans and L. casei is noteworthy and should be further investigated.

Highlights

The high prevalence of tooth decay worldwide has the tooth surface and prevent tooth decay and gum diseases (Melo et al 2017)
As part of an ongoing project on the biological activity of essential oils (Xavier et al 2016, Lemes et al 2017), this study investigated the chemical constituents and the antibacterial activity of essential oils from Citrus aurantifolia leaves and fruit peel against a representative panel of cariogenic bacteria
Essential oils from C. aurantifolia leaves and fruit peel showed high yield (w/w on fresh weight basis), i.e., 2.5 % and 3.0 %, respectively. Both analyses by gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-Flame Ionization Detector (FID)) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) revealed that monoterpene hydrocarbons (84.6 %) were the main constituents of CP-EO and oxygenated monoterpenes (57.6 %) were the main constituents of CL-EO, whereas limonene (77.5 %, 1), linalool (20.1 %, 2), citronellal (14.5 %, 3) and citronellol (14.2 %, 4) were their major constituents (Figure 1, Table I)

Summary

Introduction

The high prevalence of tooth decay worldwide has the tooth surface and prevent tooth decay and gum diseases (Melo et al 2017). As part of an ongoing project on the biological activity of essential oils (Xavier et al 2016, Lemes et al 2017), this study investigated the chemical constituents and the antibacterial activity of essential oils from Citrus aurantifolia leaves and fruit peel against a representative panel of cariogenic bacteria.

Results

Conclusion