Abstract
The antimicrobial activity of two crude plant extracts– Solanum paniculatum L. (jurubeba) and Bixa orellana L. (annatto) against Enterococcus faecalis was tested in vitro, and their efficacy was compared with that of a chemical agent with known antibacterial activity – chlorhexidine digluconate at 0.12% concentration. Extracts were prepared from jurubeba roots and annatto seeds after selection by phytochemical screening. Microorganisms were divided into two groups: E. faecalis (ATCC 292012) and E. faecalis (44 - AB). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum inhibitory concentration of adherence (MICA) of the extract and the control were determined, and the cytotoxic potential and lethal dose (LD) of jurubeba extract were assessed because it was the only extract to exhibit inhibitory activity against bacteria. Only the S. paniculatum Linn (jurubeba) extract exhibited activity against the two bacterial strains– MIC: up to 1:64 against E. faecalis ATCC 292012, up to 1:32 against E. faecalis of the oral environment (44-AB); MICA: up to 1:512 against the two strains, exhibiting cytotoxicity at the 1:2 dilution (250 mg/mL) and LD = 0. The B. orellana Linn extract exhibited no inhibitory activity in any of the experiments; thus, it was not assayed in the cytotoxicity experiments, nor was its LD determined. The low toxicity of S. paniculatum L. extract (cytotoxicity only at the 1:2 dilution, or 250 mg/mL) in addition to its LD = 0 and good antibacterial performance in the tests suggest the potential use of this product for the treatment of endodontic and periodontal oral infections; however, further experiments strengthening these results should be performed. The B. orellana L. extract exhibited no antimicrobial activity. Key words: Antimicrobial activity, plant extracts, phytotherapeutics, Enterococcus faecalis, endodontic infections, Bixa orellana L., Solanum paniculatum L.
Highlights
In viitro antibacte erial ac ctivity of two o plantt extrac cts agains a t Enterrococc cus fae ecalis
Phytochemical screening tests showed the strong presence of toluene and formic acid in the seeds of B. orellana L., as well as low but evident concentrations of alkaloids and flavonoids
In the roots of S. paniculatum L., several chemical compounds were found, such as tannic acid, flavonoids and tannins. These findings were considered to be an important indication of antimicrobial activity due to the biological functions and biotechnological applications of these phytocompounds (Alves et al, 2009; Hammer et al, 1999; Chatuverdi et al, 2010)
Summary
In viitro antibacte erial ac ctivity of two o plantt extrac cts agains a t Enterrococc cus fae ecalis. The antimic crobial activ vity of two crude c plant extracts– S olanum pan niculatum L. (annatto) ag gainst Entero ococcus faec calis was tes sted in vitro, and their eff fficacy was c compared with that of o a chemica al agent with h known anttibacterial ac ctivity – chlorhexidine d digluconate at 0.12%. Extracts s were prep pared from jurubeba ro oots and an nnatto seeds after sele ection by phytochemical screenin ng. MIC) and the m minimum inh hibitory conc centration of adherence (MICA) of o the extract and the co ontrol were determined, and the cytotoxic pote ential and lethal dose (LD) of juru ubeba extract were asses ssed becaus se it was the e only extract to exhibit iinhibitory activity aga ainst bacteria a.
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