ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To study the antibacterial activity of Chinese medicine kou-Kang mouthwash and its acute toxicity, and provide the basis of experiment and therapy for infectious diseases of the oral cavity. METHODS: Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of kou-Kang mouthwash were determined by the agar dilution method, and the acute toxicity was done. RESULTS: The range of MIC kou-Kang mouthwash against 27 Gram negative bacterial were 0.03-1.0 g.ml-1. MIC50 was 0.125 g.ml-1 and MIC90 was 0.125-0.5 g.ml-1. The range of MIC kou-Kang mouthwash against 21 Gram positive bacterial was 0.008-0.5 g.ml-1. The range of MIC50 and MIC90 were 0.015-0.125 g.ml-1 and 0.015-0.5 g.ml-1, respectively. The value of MIC was 0.015 g.ml-1 against candidia albicans. The acute toxic test indicated that the maximum tolerance dose was 417.6 g.kg-1 and 210 times as much as the clinical dose a day. No death of animals or toxicity and side-effect occurred in the test. CONCLUSION: Kou-Kang mouthwash shows a potent antibacterial activity against various pathogens of the oral cavity. Its antibiotic activity against Gram positive bacteria was 2-8 times stronger than that against Gram negative bacteria. It has low toxicity and can be used in clinical application.
