Terminalia arjuna – A possible alternative to commercial mouthwashes, against periodontopathic bacteria: An in vitro study

Abstract

Background and Aims: Periodontitis is irreversible plaque-mediated damage to gums and its supporting structures. Plaque is a niche of complex organisms forming biological associations for their attachment and sustenance, forming the basis for periodontal diseases. There is a vast diversity in oral microbiota, depending on the site. Dentition creates natural surfaces and barriers for the diversification of bacteria. For instance, periodontal bacteria differ between supra and subgingival tissues. The plaque mounted on the subgingival area chiefly houses gram-negative anaerobes such as Treponema denticola, Tannerella forsythia, and Porphyromonas gingivalis. The current study aims to compare and contrast the antimicrobial potential of Terminalia arjuna with commercially available mouth rinses against clinical isolates of periodontal bacteria based on the well-diffusion method. Materials and Methods: Preparation of Terminalia arjuna bark extract was done. For the detection of periodontal bacteria, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Treponema denticola, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used. The well-diffusion method was used to test the antimicrobial activity. Results: The aqueous extract of Terminalia arjuna showed minimum zone of inhibition of 23.33 ± 0.577 for Porphyromonas gingivalis and 24.33 ± 0.577 for Treponema denticola while the commercially available mouthwashes M1, M2, M3showed 29.33 ± 0.577, 29.33 ± 0.577, 24.33 ± 0.577, respectively towards Porphyromonas gingivalis and 29.66 ± 0.577, 27.33 ± 0.577, 25.66 ± 0.577, respectively towards Treponema denticola The results depicted nearly equal efficacy of Terminalia arjuna aqueous extract similar to those of commercial mouthwashes against the test bacteria. Conclusion: Antibacterial tests of Terminalia arjuna bark extracts showed promising results even at low concentrations. Hence, it can be an alternative to commercially available mouthwashes, which suffer from having numerous drawbacks ranging from burning sensation while in use to yellowing of teeth surfaces. Herbal medicines are considered to be much safer than other synthetic formulations and possess wide acceptance by people. Hence, this study forms a basis for future studies in this area.

Keywords

• paper points
• periodontitis
• porphyromonas gingivalis
• tannerella forsythia
• terminalia arjuna