ABSTRACT
Dryopteris crassirhizoma is traditionally used as an herbal remedy for various diseases, and has been identified in a previous study as a potential anti-caries agent. In this study, the effect of a methanol extract of D. crassirhizoma on the viability, growth and virulence properties of Streptococcus mutans, a cariogenic dental pathogen, was investigated. In addition, the phytochemical composition of the extract was analyzed. The extract showed bactericidal and bacteriostatic activity against oral bacteria (MIC and MBC of S. mutans: 62.5 and 250 µg/mL, respectively). At two times the MBC, the extract significantly eliminated S. mutans up to 99.9% after 1 h incubation. The extract also dose-dependently reduced growth rates of S. mutans at sub-MIC levels. Furthermore, at sub-MIC levels, virulence properties (acid production, acid tolerance, glucosyltransferase activity and sucrose-dependent adherence) of S. mutans were also inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of mono and disaccharides (44.9%), fatty acids (12.3%) and sugar alcohols (6.8%) in the extract. These data indicate that the extract might be useful for the control of dental caries.
Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Dryopteris/chemistry , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Plant Roots/chemistry , Streptococcus mutans/drug effects , Anti-Bacterial Agents/chemistry , Anti-Bacterial Agents/isolation & purification , Bacterial Adhesion/drug effects , Bacterial Proteins/metabolism , Glucosyltransferases/metabolism , Glycolysis/drug effects , Hydrogen-Ion Concentration , Methanol/chemistry , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Microbial Viability/drug effects , Permeability/drug effects , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Plant Extracts/isolation & purification , Proton-Translocating ATPases/metabolism , Solvents/chemistry , Streptococcus mutans/enzymology , Streptococcus mutans/growth & development , Streptococcus mutans/pathogenicity , Virulence/drug effectsABSTRACT
Polygonum cuspidatum root has been traditionally used for the treatment of dental diseases in Korea. The purpose of this study was to evaluate effects of P. cuspidatum root on the development of dental caries, especially its effects against bacterial viability and caries-inducing factors of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus. Among methanol extract of P. cuspidatum root and its fraction tested, ethyl acetate fraction, composed of polydatin, resveratrol, anthraglycoside B, and emodin, showed inhibitory effects on glycolytic acid production and glucosyltransferase activity of S. mutans and S. sobrinus in addition to antibacterial activities.
