RESUMEN
To determine the effect of a mixture of plant extracts on the adherence and retention of bacteria in dental biofilm. Experimental study. Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from December 2009 to December 2011. For determination of adhering ability, experimental pellicle was first treated with the Plant Extracts Mixture [PEM] before inoculating it with individual bacterial species [S. mitis / S. sanguinis / S. mutans]. For the determination of retention ability, the procedure was repeated with the experimental pellicle being inoculated first with the individual bacterial species and then treating it with the PEM. These two experiments were repeated with deionized distilled water [negative control] and Thymol [0.64%] [positive control]. The bacterial populations in biofilms for the two experiments were expressed as Colony Forming Unit [CFU] / mL x 10[4] and the corresponding values were expressed as mean +/- SD. The effect of the Plant Extracts Mixture [PEM] for the two experiments was compared with that of Thymol and deionized distilled water. It was shown that there is a reduced adherence of bacteria to PEM-treated and Thymol [0.064%] treated experimental pellicle compared with the negative control [p < 0.001]. It was also found that the retention of bacteria in both treated biofilms is also lower than that of negative control [p < 0.001]. Plant Extracts Mixture [PEM] may influence the development of dental biofilm by affecting the adhering and retention capacities of the bacterial species in the dental biofilms
RESUMEN
Candida species have been associated with the emergence of strains resistant to selected antifungal agents. Plant products have been used traditionally as alternative medicine to ease mucosal fungal infections. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Piper betle extract on the growth profile and the ultrastructure of commonly isolated oral candidal cells. The major component of P. betle was identified using liquid chromatography-mass spectrophotometry (LC-MS/MS). Seven ATCC control strains of Candida species were cultured in yeast peptone dextrose broth under four different growth environments: (i) in the absence of P. betle extract; and in the presence of P. betle extract at respective concentrations of (ii) 1 mg⋅mL(-1); (iii) 3 mg⋅mL(-1); and (iv) 6 mg⋅mL(-1). The growth inhibitory responses of the candidal cells were determined based on changes in the specific growth rates (µ). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe any ultrastructural alterations in the candida colonies. LC-MS/MS was performed to validate the presence of bioactive compounds in the extract. Following treatment, it was observed that the µ-values of the treated cells were significantly different than those of the untreated cells (P<0.05), indicating the fungistatic properties of the P. betle extract. The candidal population was also reduced from an average of 13.44×10(6) to 1.78×10(6) viable cell counts (CFU)⋅mL(-1). SEM examination exhibited physical damage and considerable morphological alterations of the treated cells. The compound profile from LC-MS/MS indicated the presence of hydroxybenzoic acid, chavibetol and hydroxychavicol in P. betle extract. The effects of P. betle on candida cells could potentiate its antifungal activity.