Evaluation of Antibacterial Efficacy of Wax Apple (Syzygium samarangense) Fruit Extracts Against Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans – An In vitro Study

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of wax apple (Syzygium samarangense) fruit extracts (aqueous and ethanol) against Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. Methodology: The stock solution was prepared for microbial analysis (100 mg/ml). A disc diffusion test to determine the zone of inhibition and the serial broth dilution test to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration were done to assess the antimicrobial activity. Data obtained were appraised observationally and interpreted. Results: When assessed for antibacterial activity of extracts by disc diffusion method, both aqueous and ethanolic extracts did not show a zone of inhibition on P. gingivalis and A. actinomycetemcomitans. However, the aqueous extract showed an inhibition zone of 8 mm at the concentration of 50 and 75 µl/ml against F. nucleatum. Similarly, the ethanolic extract showed an inhibition zone of 8 mm at 50 µl/ml and 9 mm at 75 µl/ml volume against F. nucleatum. When assessed for antibacterial activity of extracts by serial broth dilution method, only P. gingivalis (both aqueous and ethanolic extracts at 50 µg/ml) and F. nucleatum (aqueous extracts at 1. 6 µg/ml and ethanolic extract at 0.4 µg/ml) exhibited antibacterial effect, whereas A. actinomycetemcomitans was completely resistant to both extracts at all the concentrations. Conclusion: In the present in vitro study, S. samarangense (wax apple) showed its antibacterial activity against F. nucleatum only by exhibiting MIC at 1.6 µg/ml for aqueous and 0.4 µg/ml for ethanolic extract, but no antibacterial activity was shown against P. gingivalis and A. actinomycetemcomitans.