Caries is a global public health problem, whose control requires the introduction of
low-cost treatments, such as strong prevention strategies, minimally invasive
techniques and chemical prevention agents. Nature plays an important role as a source
of new antibacterial substances that can be used in the prevention of caries, and
Brazil is the richest country in terms of biodiversity.Objective In this study, the disk diffusion method (DDM) was used to screen over 2,000
Brazilian Amazon plant extracts against Streptococcus mutans.
Material and Methods Seventeen active plant extracts were identified and fractionated. Extracts and
their fractions, obtained by liquid-liquid partition, were tested in the DDM assay
and in the microdilution broth assay (MBA) to determine their minimal inhibitory
concentrations (MICs) and minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBCs). The extracts
were also subjected to antioxidant analysis by thin layer chromatography. Results EB271, obtained from Casearia spruceana, showed significant
activity against the bacterium in the DDM assay (20.67±0.52 mm), as did EB1129,
obtained from Psychotria sp. (Rubiaceae) (15.04±2.29 mm). EB1493,
obtained from Ipomoea alba, was the only extract to show strong
activity against Streptococcus mutans (0.08 mg/mL
Previous studies analyzing 2,200 plant extracts indicated anti-enterococcal activity in 25 extracts obtained from Brazilian forests’ plants. In the present study, these extracts were subjected to microdilution broth assay (MDBA) and disk diffusion assay (DDA) using planktonic Enterococcus faecalis ATCC® 29212™ and were submitted to phytochemical analysis in TLC and HPLC. Three extracts obtained from Ipomoea alba (MIC < 40 μg/mL), Diclinanona calycina (MIC ≤ 40 μg/mL) and Moronobea coccinea (40 < MIC < 80 μg/mL; MBC = 80 μg/mL) showed significant bactericidal activity in the MDBA and four extracts obtained from I. alba (14.04 ± 0.55 mm diameter) S. globulifera (14.43 ± 0.33 mm and 12.18 ± 0.28 mm diameter) and Connarus ruber var. ruber (13.13 ± 0.18 mm diameter) were active in DDA. Residues H2O obtained from Psidium densicomum (mean of 16.78 mm diameter) and from Stryphnodendron pulcherrimum (mean of 15.97 mm diameter) have shown an improved antibacterial activity after fractionation if compared to that obtained from the respective crude extracts. Antioxidant activity was observed in some residues of the active extracts. TLC analysis showed that phenolic compounds are likely to be found in active extracts. Three molecules were isolated from S. globulifera and were identified by 13C NMR lupeol, α-amyrin and 3β-hydroxyglutin-5-ene. The present chemical and biological findings suggest that these extracts are a potential source of new anti-Enterococcus compounds to be introduced in endodontic therapy.
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