Antimicrobial activity of Cymbopogon citratus (Poaceae) essential oil on Streptococcus mutans biofilm and cytotoxic effect on keratinocytes and fibroblasts

Abstract

Dental caries is a pathology of multifactorial origin and currently natural products are an efficient alternative treatment; The work sought to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the Cymbopogon citratus essential oil and the citral and myrcene components against Streptococcus mutans ATCC UA159, as well as their cytotoxicity on keratinocytes and human fibroblasts. The viability effect against Streptococcus mutans on biofilms was evaluated through exposure to the three substances by using the MBEC technique-high-throughput at concentrations of 1, 0.1, and 0.01 µg/mL and chlorhexidine as positive control. The cytotoxicity of the compounds was evaluated on keratinocytes and fibroblasts through the MTT reduction technique, using 0.5 mM H2O2 as cell-death control (negative control) and ethanol 1% as vehicle control (positive control). The three substances evaluated had effects on the viability of Streptococcus mutans with mortality between 74% and 96%, without significant difference among them (p > 0.393); additionally, no cytotoxicity was evident on keratinocytes and fibroblasts in a 24-h treatment. The substances evaluated showed significant antimicrobial effects; hence, these should be studied further as potential co-adjuvants to prevent dental caries that cause minor adverse effects

Minimum inhibitory concentration of essential oils against Staphylococcus aureus isolated from dogs with external otitis

“…Its main antimicrobial components are citral (alpha and beta), geranial, and myrcene, which have analgesic action. Its effects are dependent on the concentration and can be improved by the association of its compounds (Aiemsaard, Aiumlamai, Aromdee, Taweechaisupapong, & Khunkitti, 2011;Oliveira et al, 2017;Ortega-Cuadros et al, 2018). In our study, the EO of C. citratus inhibited bacterial growth at the concentration of 27.81 mg mL -1 .…”

“…The EO of C. citratus has been used as a food preservative agent, as an inhibitor of biofilm formation in different environmental niches, and as an antifungal and antibacterial. This EO acts on membrane permeability, inhibiting essential activities necessary to bacterial survival as well as quorum sensing, preventing biofilm formation in dental caries, and is also present in the food industry (Ekpenyong & Akpan, 2015;Oliveira et al, 2017;Ortega-Cuadros, Tofiño-Rivera, Merini, & Martínez-Pabon, 2018). Its main antimicrobial components are citral (alpha and beta), geranial, and myrcene, which have analgesic action.…”

Antimicrobials from Medicinal Plants: An Emergent Strategy to Control Oral Biofilms

“…When it comes to oral health, it has been shown that C. citratus exerts an antibiofilm effect on pathogenic bacteria from the oral cavity. As an example, 93.0% of growth inhibition of S. mutans biofilms was obtained at a concentration of 1.00 µg•mL −1 of C. citratus essential oil [147]. In another study, the essential oil from this plant, at a concentration of 0.100 µg•mL −1 , led to a reduction of more than 95% of S. mutans ATCC 35668 preformed biofilms [148].…”

Plant-Derived Substances with Antibacterial, Antioxidant, and Flavoring Potential to Formulate Oral Health Care Products

“…Besides, this substance can bind to the surface of the teeth’ hydroxyapatite, staying there for long periods, generating a more prolonged antibacterial effect [ 11 ]. However, this capacity can be a disadvantage since chlorhexidine interaction with the tooth surface can cause pigmentation, burning, and dryness [ 41 ].…”