Abstract
Abnormal multiplication of oral bacteria causes dental caries and dental plaque. These diseases continue to be major public health concerns worldwide, mainly in developing countries. In this study, the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Vitex agnus-castus leaves (VAC‒EO) collected in the North of Brazil against a representative panel of cariogenic bacteria were investigated. The antimicrobial activity of VAC-EO was evaluated in terms of its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values by using the broth microdilution method in 96-well microplates. The chemical constituents of VAC-EO were identified by gas chromatography (GC‒FID) and gas chromatography‒mass spectrometry (GC‒MS). VAC‒EO displayed some activity against all the investigated oral pathogens; MIC values ranged from 15.6 to 200 μg/mL. VAC-EO had promising activity against Streptococcus mutans (MIC= 15.6 μg/mL), Lactobacillus casei (MIC= 15.6 μg/mL), and Streptococcus mitis (MIC= 31.2 μg/mL). The compounds 1,8-cineole (23.8%), (E)-β-farnesene (14.6%), (E)-caryophyllene (12.5%), sabinene (11.4%), and α-terpinyl acetate (7.7%) were the major chemical constituents of VAC‒EO. VAC-EO displays antimicrobial activity against cariogenic bacteria. The efficacy of VAC-EO against S. mutans is noteworthy and should be further investigated.
Highlights
Acidogenic and aciduric bacteria that can form colonies in an organized biolfilm cause dental plaque (Crevelin et al 2015)
As part of our ongoing project on the antimicrobial activity of essential oils (Aguiar et al 2013a, Alves et al 2015, Bardaji et al 2015, Crevelin et al 2015, Melo et al 2015), we have investigated the chemical constituents and the antimicrobial activity of the EO of Vitex agnuscastus grown in the North of Brazil against a representative panel of cariogenic bacteria
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY (GC)-FID and GC-MS analyses revealed that monoterpenes (62.4%) were the main constituents of VAC–EO, whereas 1,8-cineole (2, 23.8%), (E)-β-farnesene (5, 14.6%), (E)caryophyllene (4, 12.5%), sabinene (1, 11.4%), and α-terpinyl acetate (3, 7.7%) were the major constituents (Figure 1)
Summary
Acidogenic and aciduric bacteria that can form colonies in an organized biolfilm cause dental plaque (Crevelin et al 2015). Brushing and flossing are the most effective strategies to remove microorganisms installed on the tooth surface and prevent caries and gum diseases. Controlling the formation of biofilm and completely removing the biofilm through mechanical means is complicated, and most of the population fails to ensure proper oral care (Melo et al 2015). Some products containing antimicrobial agents have been used as a complementary measure to help to decrease the formation of biofilm on the tooth surface (Crevelin et al 2015). Its regular use in oral care products often leads to several side effects and contributes to the emergence of microbial resistance (Aguiar et al 2013a)
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