Cytotoxicity and antimicrobial action of selected phytochemicals against planktonic and sessile Streptococcus mutans

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2018

Authors

Marta Ribeiro (Author) FEUP; Joana Malheiro (Author) FEUP; Liliana Grenho (Author) FMDUP; Maria Helena Fernandes (Author) FMDUP; Manuel Simões (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: PeerJ

Vol. 6

Pages: 1-17

ISSN: 2167-8359

Publisher: PeerJ

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 17 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 21 Citations

Pubmed / Medline

Scientific classification

CORDIS: Health sciences

FOS: Medical and Health sciences

Associated Projects

LEPABE - Laboratório de Engenharia de Processos, Ambiente, Biotecnologia e Energia

LEPABE-2-ECO-INNOVATION - LEPABE-2-ECO-INNOVATION

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00R-A97

DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4872

Abstract (EN): Dental caries remains the most prevalent and costly oral infectious disease worldwide, encouraging the search for new and more effective antimicrobials. Therefore, the aim of this work was to study the antimicrobial action of selected phytochemicals (eugenol, citronellol, sabinene hydrate, trans-cinnamaldehyde, terpineol and cinnamic acid) against Streptococcus mutans in planktonic and biofilm states as well as the cytotoxicity of these compounds. Methods. The antibacterial activity of the selected compounds was evaluated by the determination of the minimal bactericidal concentration. The resazurin assay was used to assess the metabolic activity of sessile S. mutans. The cytotoxicity was determined using a fibroblast cell line. Results. Among the tested phytochemicals, citronellol, cinnamic acid and transcinnamaldehyde were the most effective against both planktonic and sessile S. mutans, an effect apparently related to their hydrophobic character. Additionally, these three compounds did not compromise fibroblasts cell viability. Discussion. Citronellol, cinnamic acid and trans-cinnamaldehyde demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity and low cytotoxicity proposing their potential as a novel group of therapeutic compounds to control oral infectious diseases. Moreover, their effects are particularly relevant when benchmarked against eugenol, a phytochemical commonly used for prosthodontic applications in dentistry.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 17