Antimicrobial Effects of Edible Mixed Herbal Extracts on Oral Microorganisms: An In Vitro Study

Abstract

Background and Objectives: The oral cavity is inhabited by pathogenic bacteria, whose growth can be inhibited by synthetic oral drugs, including antibiotics and other chemical compounds. Natural antimicrobial substances that elicit fewer negative side effects may serve as alternatives to synthetic agents for long-term use. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of edible mixed herbal extracts on the growth of oral pathogenic bacteria. Materials and Methods: The yield of each herbal extract was as follows: 5% Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briq (STB), 10.94% Mentha piperascens (MP), 5.47% Acanthopanax sessiliflorus Seem (AS), and 10.66% Glycyrrhiza uralensis (GU). The herbal extracts used included 0.5 mg/mL STB, 1.5 mg/mL MP, 1.5 mg/mL AS, and 2.0 mg/mL GU. Antimicrobial tests, morphological analyses (using scanning electron microscopy), microbial surface hydrophobicity measurements, and oral malodor reduction tests were performed using each extract. Statistical analyses were performed with IBM® SPSS® (version 24), using paired t-tests. Results: The mixed herbal extracts significantly inhibited the growth of Streptococcus mutans, Enterococcus faecalis, Candida albicans, and Porphyromonas gingivalis compared to the control (p p p Conclusions: Edible mixed herbal extracts can effectively eliminate oral pathogens and may be useful for improving oral health. The herbal extracts used were effective against all species of oral pathogens studied in this report.

Keywords

• <i>Acanthopanax sessiliflorus</i> Seem
• antimicrobial
• <i>Glycyrrhiza uralensis</i>
• <i>Mentha piperascens</i>
• oral pathogens
• <i>Schizonepeta tenuifolia</i> Briq