Evaluation of antimicrobial effect of " Ammi visnaga " against oral streptococci

Abstract

Some species of “streptococci” have great role in dental caries. So control of their activities can promote prevention of dental caries. Use of herbal agents is a notable issue in recent researches. The aim of this study was evaluation of antimicrobial activity of aqueous and hydroalcoholic extract of seed and stem of Ammi visnaga against Streptococcus mutans,Streptococcus salivarius and Streptococcus sanguis. First step or screening was designed by determination of antimicrobial activity for each extracts using Disk diffusion method. For those extract which presented it; “no growth hallo” was evident around related paper disks. Next step was determination of MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) and MBC (minimum bactericidal concentration) corresponding to “modified macrodilution” method for those extracts revealed antimicrobial activity. “No growth hallo” was obvious around S. sanguis and it was absent around S. salivarius; For S. mutans, only aqueous seed extract produced the hallo. MIC and MBC of aqueous and hydroalcoholic stem extract against S. sanguis, were 5 and 7%, stem extract against S. sanguis as well as hydroalcoholic seed extract against S. sanguis, 5 and 5%, aqueous seed extract against S. sanguis, 15 and >30% and aqueous seed extract against S. mutans, 20 and >30%, respectively. A. visnaga revealed antimicrobial activity against some species of oral Streptococci including S. mutans. So, we can use it for prevention of dental caries but further investigation is recommended. Key words: Ammi visnaga, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus salivarius, Streptococcus sanguis, antimicrobial activity.