Antimicrobial effect of Prunus mume extracts against cariogenic bacteria / 대한구강보건학회지

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to determine whether Prunus mume extracts have an antimicrobial effect against Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and Streptococcus sobrinus (S. sobrinus). METHODS: The study used crushed and dried Prunus mume, to which 80% methanol was added to obtain extracts. The extracts then underwent a demarcation process, sequentially using hexane, chloroform, and ethyl acetate, all of which have different polarities, followed by a reduction in pressure . The disc diffusion method was then used to measure the clear zone diameter to identify the antimicrobial effect of Prunus mume extracts using the different solvents. The methanol extracts that presented antimicrobial activity against S. mutans and S. sobrinus were then selected, and their optical densities (3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 h after cultivation) were measured to identify growth retardation effects based on extract concentration (0.01, 0.1, 1, and 5 mg/ml). RESULTS: A clear zone was observed in methanol and ethyl acetate for S. mutans when the antimicrobial effect of Prunus mume extracts of each solvent against oral microorganisms was measured via the disc diffusion method. A clear zone was observed in hexane, chloroform, methanol, and ethyl acetate, when the extracts were tested for antimicrobial activity against S. sobrinus. The extract concentration of 1 mg/ml retarded growth with a statistical significance (P<0.05) from 6 h onwards, as determined when the optical density was measured hourly and the growth curves of S. mutans and S. sobrinus were plotted. CONCLUSIONS: Prunus mume extracts retarded the growth of S. mutans and S. sobrinus with increase in time and concentration. Therefore, Prunus mume extracts hold the potential to be used for developing an oral antimicrobial agent to control dental caries.