Bioactive Property of Thai Herbs Against Streptococcus mutans for Oral Hygiene
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Dental caries, primarily caused by Streptococcus mutans, remains a major global oral health issue. Due to the limitations of synthetic antimicrobials, such as side effects and resistance, interest has grown in natural alternatives—particularly Thai herbs traditionally used in oral care. To synthesize scientific evidence on the antibacterial activity of Thai herbal extracts against Streptococcus mutans, focusing on minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values. A literature review was conducted using databases including PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and ThaiJo for studies published between 2010 and 2024. Inclusion criteria required studies to report MIC and/or MBC values of Thai herbal extracts against S. mutans using standard in vitro antimicrobial assays. Numerous Thai herbs demonstrated antibacterial effects against S. mutans, with several showing low MIC and MBC values. Herbs such as Cinnamomum aromaticum, Syzygium aromaticum, and Ocimum basilicum exhibited potent activity and MBC/MIC ratios suggesting bactericidal action. However, inconsistencies in methodology and limited clinical data were observed across studies. Thai herbal extracts show promising in vitro antibacterial activity against S. mutans, supporting their potential use in natural oral care products. Further research is needed to standardize testing, evaluate safety, and validate clinical effectiveness.
Article Details
References
Jouhar R, et al. (2021). Association of BMI, Diet, Physical Activity, and Oral Hygiene Practices with DMFT Index of Male Dental Students at King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa. Nutrients. 13(1),224. Available from: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/1/224
Saffan ADA. (2023). Current Approaches to Diagnosis of Early Proximal Carious Lesion: A Literature Review. Cureus. 15(8),e43489. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10499541/
Matsui R, and Cvitkovitch D. (2010). Acid tolerance mechanisms utilized by Streptococcus mutans. Future Microbiology. 5(3),403–17. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2937171/
Malhotra R, et al. (2011). Comparison of the effectiveness of a commercially available herbal mouthrinse with chlorhexidine gluconate at the clinical and patient level. Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology. 15(4),3 49–52. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22368358/
Sanpinit S, et al. (2022). Selected Thai traditional polyherbal medicines suppress the cariogenic properties of Streptococcus mutans by disrupting its acid formation and quorum sensing abilities. South African Journal of Botany. 144,355–63. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0254629921003859
Joycharat N, et al. (2012). Anti-Streptococcus mutans efficacy of Thai herbal formula used as a remedy for dental caries. Pharmaceutical Biology. 50(8),941–947. Available from: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.3109/13880209.2011.649430?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed
Atisakul K, and Saewan N. (2023). The Antibacterial Potential of Essential Oils of Oral Care Thai Herbs against Streptococcus mutans and Solobacterium moorei—In Vitro Approach. Cosmetics. 10(5),125. Available from: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9284/10/5/125
Deo PN, and Deshmukh R. (2019). Oral microbiome: Unveiling the fundamentals. Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology: JOMFP. 23(1),122–8. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6503789/
Li YH, et al. (2001). Natural Genetic Transformation of Streptococcus mutans Growing in Biofilms. Journal of Bacteriology. 183(3),897–908. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC94956/
Tang X, et al. (2020). Cariogenic Streptococcus mutans Produces Tetramic Acid Strain-Specific Antibiotics That Impair Commensal Colonization. ACS Infectious Diseases. 6(4),563–71. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7150634/
Men X, et al. (2016). Identification of Anion Channels Responsible for Fluoride Resistance in Oral Streptococci. PLOS ONE. 11(11),e0165900. Available from: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0165900
Ajdić D, et al. (2002). Genome sequence of Streptococcus mutans UA159, a cariogenic dental pathogen. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 99(22),14434–9. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC137901/
Wiwattanarattanabut K, et al. (2017). In Vitro Anti-Cariogenic Plaque Effects of Essential Oils Extracted from Culinary Herbs. Journal Of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. 11(9),DC30–5. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5713730/
Wongsariya K, et al. (2024). Anti-oral streptococci and anti-biofilm properties of Etlingera pavieana essential oil and its bioactive compounds proposed for an alternative herbal mouthwash. Heliyon. 10(10),e31136–6. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024071676
Chaiya A, et al. (2013). Screening for dental caries: Preventive activities of medicinal plants against Streptococcus mutans. Pharmaceutical Sciences Asia. 40(1),9–17. Available from: https://pharmacy.mahidol.ac.th/journal/journalabstract.php?jvol=40&jpart=1&jconnum=2
Wannachot J, and Rattanakiat S. (2015). In Vitro Antibacterial Activity of Selected Herbal Extracts on Streptococcus mutans. Isan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, IJPS [Internet]. 2015;10(28),94–103. Available from: https://he01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/IJPS/article/view/39722
Onongarj P, et al. (2024). Preliminary phytochemical screening and In vitro Antibacterial Activity of Mitragyna speciosa Korth Leaf Extract Against Streptococcus mutans. Journal of Traditional Thai Medical Research. 10(1),43–54. Available from: https://he02.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/ttm/article/view/268432 (In Thai)
Sunitha J, et al. (2017). Antimicrobial Effect of Leaves of Phyllanthus niruri and Solanum nigrum on Caries Causing Bacteria: An In vitro Study. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research: JCDR. 11(6),KC01–4. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5535395/
Teanpaisan R, et al. (2016). Screening for antibacterial and antibiofilm activity in Thai medicinal plant extracts against oral microorganisms. Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine. 7(2),172–7. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5388082/
Wongkham S, et al. (2001). Antimicrobial Activity of Streblus Asper Leaf Extract. Phytotherapy Research. 15(2),119–21. Available from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ptr.705
