Abstract
Medicinal plants are important components in the primary health care of villagers in Guatemala. However, an area often overlooked is the effect of medicinal plants on oral hygiene. Acetone and methanol extracts from 63 medicinal plant species from 31 families were bioassayed against breast, cervical, skin and tongue cancers, and the following microorganisms: Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Candida albicans. Half-maximum inhibitory concentrations (IC50) and half-maximum cytotoxicity concentrations (CC50) were determined against cancerous and non-cancerous cell lines, respectively. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were determined against microbes. Based on levels of inhibition by extracts, IC50 values, CC50 values, and MIC values, seven species (Bursera simaruba Sarg., Burseraceae; Eriobotrya japonica (Thumb.) Lindl., Rosaceae; Litsea guatemalensis Mez, Lauraceae; Mirabilis jalapa L., Nyctaginaceae; Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb.) Benth., Fabaceae); Rubus villosus Thunb., Rosaceae; Thevetia peruviana K. Schum., Apocynaceae) were recommended for additional investigation. With regard to oral hygiene four species (Achillea millefolium L., Asteraceae; Crotalaria longirostrata Hook. and Arn., Fabaceae; P. dulce; Spondias purpurea L., Anacardiaceae) may merit further fractionation and testing against oral diseases. Key words: Anticancer, antimicrobial, IC50, CC50, MIC, oral hygiene, Guatemala.
Highlights
Well documented is the use and value of the earth’s medicinal resources with regard to primary health care for the human population
An additional consideration is that traditional knowledge and the biodiversity that supports that knowledge and the development of new drugs are being lost (Cordell and Colvard, 2012; Strobel et al, 2004). These in combination with the evolution of drug resistance (Lambert et al, 2011) contribute to the increased awareness to conserve these valuable plant resources (Siwach et al, 2013; Kingston, 2011). Another concern regarding the primary health care of people in rural communities worldwide is the lack of information on the role of medicinal plants to improve oral hygiene (Colvard et al, 2006), For example, Kufer et al (2005) in their study on the use of medicinal plants in the Ch’orto’ area in southeastern Guatemala listed about 41 plants that were used to treat gastrointestinal illnesses, 34 species used for fever and pain, 38 for women’s remedies, 25 for respiratory illnesses, but only seven for oral health problems
Rural family members in southeastern Guatemala near Esquipulas who were suffering from toothache or orofacial pain resorted to using nine herbals but no traditional remedies were noted to prevent cavities or other oral cavity diseases (Hunter and Arbona, 1995)
Summary
Well documented is the use and value of the earth’s medicinal resources with regard to primary health care for the human population. These in combination with the evolution of drug resistance (Lambert et al, 2011) contribute to the increased awareness to conserve these valuable plant resources (Siwach et al., 2013; Kingston, 2011) Another concern regarding the primary health care of people in rural communities worldwide is the lack of information on the role of medicinal plants to improve oral hygiene (Colvard et al., 2006), For example, Kufer et al (2005) in their study on the use of medicinal plants in the Ch’orto’ area in southeastern Guatemala listed about 41 plants that were used to treat gastrointestinal illnesses, 34 species used for fever and pain, 38 for women’s remedies, 25 for respiratory illnesses, but only seven for oral health problems. A need exists to find medicinal plants that have potential to prevent and treat periodontal diseases and other oral health issues
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