Antimicrobial activity of the essential oil from Lippia sidoides, carvacrol and thymol against oral pathogens

Abstract

Dental caries and periodontal disease are associated with oral pathogens. Several plant derivatives have been evaluated with respect to their antimicrobial effects against such pathogenic microorganisms. Lippia sidoides Cham (Verbenaceae), popularly known as "Alecrimpimenta" is a typical shrub commonly found in the Northeast of Brazil. Many plant species belonging to the genus Lippia yield very fragrant essential oils of potential economic value which are used by the industry for the commercial production of perfumes, creams, lotions, and deodorants. Since the leaves of L. sidoides are also extensively used in popular medicine for the treatment of skin wounds and cuts, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the composition and antimicrobial activity of L. sidoides essential oil. The essential oil was obtained by hydro-distillation and analyzed by GC-MS. Twelve compounds were characterized, having as major constituents thymol (56.7%) and carvacrol (16.7%). The antimicrobial activity of the oil and the major components was tested against cariogenic bacterial species of the genus Streptococcus as well as Candida albicans using the broth dilution and disk diffusion assays. The essential oil and its major components thymol and carvacrol exhibited potent antimicrobial activity against the organisms tested with minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging from 0.625 to 10.0 mg/mL. The most sensitive microorganisms were C. albicans and Streptococcus mutans. The essential oil of L. sidoides and its major components exert promising antimicrobial effects against oral pathogens and suggest its likely usefulness to combat oral microbial growth.

Chemical composition and fumigant effect of essentialoil of Lippia sidoides Cham. and monoterpenes against Tenebrio molitor (L.) (coleoptera: tenebrionidae)

“…However, only the first authors not found the presence of carvacrol. Following Botelho et al (2007), who studied the microbial activity of the same essential oil, they found that the major constituents among others were thymol (56.70%) and carvacrol (16.70%), wich diverges with the results reported in this research, mainly the percentage of content.…”

“…and Candida albicans (BOTELHO et al, 2007). Essential oils as well as several terpenes have been utilized in agriculture against fungi, bacteria, nematodes and pest insects.…”

Effects of fluoride and Aloe vera tooh gel in artificial white spot lesions in vitro

“…Currently, the use of natural products in the prevention and treatment of oral diseases has been increasing in rural and urban areas 10 . Among the numerous plants with therapeutic potential, Aloe Barbadensis Miller -commonly known as Aloe vera -, has been used as phytotherapeutic agent because of its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidants and healing properties 11 .…”

Fenologia do alecrim-pimenta (Lippia sidoides Cham.) em área de Cerrado, no norte de Minas Gerais, Brasil

“…Todas as fenofases apresentaram altos índices de sincronia, com destaque para a frutificação e queda de folhas (Tabela 1), sendo esse um fator que, de acordo com Caldeira Júnior et al (2008), facilita o manejo da espécie no campo, já que a maioria das plantas apresentará a mesma fase fenológica, em determinado período.…”

“…O potencial medicinal da espécie pode ser comprovado pela intensa atividade antimicrobiana apresentada pelo óleo essencial, como bem demonstram os trabalhos de Lemos et al (1990), Fontenelle, (2005, Oliveira et al (2006) e Botelho et al (2007). Este óleo essencial possui ainda atividade moluscicida contra o caramujo Biomphalaria glabra, e larvicida contra o estágio aquático do mosquito da dengue, Aedes aegyptii (Lorenzi & Matos, 2002;Cavalcanti et al, 2004).…”