RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine the antimicrobial effects of carboxymethyl chitosan zinc (CMC-Zn(+)) and CMC-Zn(+)-peptide (CMC-Zn(+)-P) on four kinds of periodontal pathogens.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Dilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of CMC-Zn(+) for Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), Actinobacillusactinomycetemcomitans (Aa), Prevotella intermedia (Pi) and Actinomyces viscosus (Av). The antimicrobial characters of CMC-Zn(+) and CMC-Zn(+)-P on these four kinds of pathogens were evaluated by disk diffusion method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The MIC of CMC-Zn(+) for Pg, Aa, Pi and Av was 0.312 5%, 0.156 25%, 0.156 25% and 0.078 125% respectively. Significant antimicrobial effects were improved along with the increased concentration of CMC-Zn(+) and CMC-Zn(+)-P (P < 0.01), while the best antimicrobial concentrations of both CMC-Zn(+) and CMC-Zn(+)-P were 5%. The antimicrobial effect of CMC-Zn(+)-P was better than that of CMC-Zn(+) on the same kind of periodontal pathogen (P < 0.01). CMC-Zn(+)-P showed different antimicrobial effects on the four periodontal pathogens (Av > Aa > Pi or Av > Aa > Pg, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>CMC-Zn(+) and CMC-Zn(+)-P have inhibition effect on Pg, Aa, Pi and Av, and the best antibacterial concentration was 5%. The CMC-Zn(+)-P has better antibacterial effect than CMC-Zn(+) on Pg, Aa, Pi and Av.</p>