Screening of Punica granatum extract for antimicrobial activity against oral micro organisms

Abstract

Background and Objectives: A lot of research work in both dental and medical fields support the curative properties of pomegranate. Accordingly, it was decided to prepare a pomegranate mouthwash and evaluate it among Dental patients diagnosed with Chronic Gingivitis. The objective of the present invitro study is to assess the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of the commercially available pomegranate extract powder against few oral pathogenic microorganisms. Methodology: Serial dilution method using thioglycolate broth medium was used for anerobes like Streptococcus mutans, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Aggregatibacter actinomycetomcomitans, Prevotella intermedia and Mueller hinton agar mediated growth was used for aerobe like Staphylococcus aureus. Following which microdilution assay was performed and accordingly evaluated the MIC. Based on this report, the test rinse was prepared and further evaluated using the same methodology for both aerobes and anerobes. Results and Inference: It was observed from the MIC report for both aerobes and anerobes that at a concentration of 0.2% the formulated mouth rinse was effective against all the chosen organisms. The results of the study infer that products like mouthwash, dental gels etc made from this concentration could be possibly used for the control of dental infections.