Traditional Medicinal Plant Extracts and Natural Products with Activity against Oral Bacteria: Potential Application in the Prevention and Treatment of Oral Diseases

Abstract

Oral diseases are major health problems with dental caries and periodontal diseases among the most important preventable global infectious diseases. Oral health influences the general quality of life and poor oral health is linked to chronic conditions and systemic diseases. The association between oral diseases and the oral microbiota is well established. Of the more than 750 species of bacteria that inhabit the oral cavity, a number are implicated in oral diseases. The development of dental caries involves acidogenic and aciduric Gram-positive bacteria (mutans streptococci, lactobacilli and actinomycetes). Periodontal diseases have been linked to anaerobic Gram-negative bacteria (Porphyromonas gingivalis, Actinobacillus, Prevotella and Fusobacterium). Given the incidence of oral disease, increased resistance by bacteria to antibiotics, adverse affects of some antibacterial agents currently used in dentistry and financial considerations in developing countries, there is a need for alternative prevention and treatment options that are safe, effective and economical. While several agents are commercially available, these chemicals can alter oral microbiota and have undesirable side-effects such as vomiting, diarrhea and tooth staining. Hence, the search for alternative products continues and natural phytochemicals isolated from plants used as traditional medicines are considered as good alternatives. In this review, plant extracts or phytochemicals that inhibit the growth of oral pathogens, reduce the development of biofilms and dental plaque, influence the adhesion of bacteria to surfaces and reduce the symptoms of oral diseases will be discussed further. Clinical studies that have investigated the safety and efficacy of such plant-derived medicines will also be described.

The Antimicrobial Activity of <i>Aliquidambar orientalis</i> mill. Against Food Pathogens and Antioxidant Capacity of Leaf Extracts

“…They have proved to be abundant sources of biologically active compounds, many of which have been used as compounds to develop new pharmaceuticals (Palombo, 2011 In the present study, extracts of the plant leaves obtained in different solvents were tested against 8 microorganisms. The antimicrobial activity was compared with the standard antibiotics (Table 1 and 2).…”

Electrospun Herbal Extract Derived Polymer Nanocomposites for Medical Applications

“…Oral health influences the general quality of life and poor oral health is linked to chronic conditions and systemic diseases (15). Oral bacteria are also prone to develop multidrug resistance and, therefore, alternative treatments are researched.…”

“…Chloroform extracts of leaves of Drosera peltata (Droseraceae) showed greatest activity against S. mutans and S. sobrinus bacteria. Extracts of Abies Canadensis (Pinaceae), Albizia julibrissin (Fabaceae), Chelidonium majus (Papaveraceae), Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgoaceae), Juniperus virginiana (Cupressaceae), Pinus virginiana (Pinaceae), Rosmarinus officinalis (Lamiaceae), Sassafras albidum (Lauraceae), Tanacetum vulgare (Asteraceae) and Thuja plicata (Cupressaceae) have been proven to be effective for inhibition of the growth of oral streptococci (15).…”

“…While the extract was able to kill all oral bacteria tested (including Actinomyces, Fusobacterium, Lactobacillus, Prevotella, Propionibacterium and Streptococcus species), poly (d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles containing the extract showed enhanced activity. The authors suggested that this may have been due to the bioadhesive properties of the polymer resulting in the extract being in contact with the bacteria for prolonged periods (15). In this case the polymer enhanced the bioactive properties of the extract and improved overall antibacterial activity results.…”

Antibacterial and synergistic effects of the <i>n</i>-BuOH fraction of <i>Sophora flavescens</i> root against oral bacteria

“…Therefore there is a need to search for new natural antimicrobial agents that are safe and act specifically against human oral pathogens. Plants have a largewhich have been reported to have antimicrobial properties (14)(15)(16).…”