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Published on: October 12, 2018
Effectiveness of Mentha piperita Leaf Extracts against Oral Pathogens: An in vitro Study
Rekha Raghavan1, M P Shyamala Devi2, Megha Varghese2
1Department of Periodontology, Educare Institute of Dental Sciences, Malappuram, Kerala, India, Phone: +919349118552,
Aim:
The study aims to assess the Mentha piperita leaf extract's effectiveness against oral pathogens.
Materials And Methods:
The leaf extract of M. piperita was prepared using cold water method. The three microbial strains, i.e., Streptococcus mutans, Aggregatibacter actinomycetem-comitans, and Candida albicans were used as microbiological materials. Chlorhexidine 0.2% was used as positive control. The digital caliper was used to measure the zone of inhibition to know the antimicrobial activity at 24 and 48 hours. To compare the activity within and between the different microbial strains, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used. To analyze the data, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version of 21.0 was used. The p-value ≤0.05 was considered as statistically significant.
Results:
Maximum inhibition zone was seen in both M. piperita extracts and 0.2% chlorhexidine with S. mutans at 24 and 48 hours, followed by A. actinomycetemcomitans, and C. albi-cans respectively. The statistical analysis ANOVA reveals the statistically significant association of M. piperita extracts with p-value <0.001. The comparison with 0.2% chlorhexidine at 24 hours showed a p-value of <0.04 and at 48 hours, it showed a p-value <0.001, which was statistically significant.
Conclusion:
The present study concluded that M. piperita showed antimicrobial activity against the oral microorganisms which are causing major less or more severe oral diseases and it can be administered as an alternative medicine for the conventional treatment.
Clinical Significance:
The study results serve as a guide in selecting and providing information about the efficacy of M. piperita extracts to the dental professionals. The discovery of a potential herbal medication would be a great development in the field of antimicrobial therapies.
Insights
Mentha piperita leaf extract demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity against common oral pathogens like Streptococcus mutans. This natural extract shows promise as an alternative to conventional treatments for oral diseases.
Area of Science:
- Oral Microbiology
- Natural Product Chemistry
- Antimicrobial Agents
Background:
- Oral diseases are frequently caused by microbial infections.
- Conventional treatments may have limitations or side effects.
- Herbal remedies are increasingly explored for therapeutic potential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of Mentha piperita leaf extract.
- To assess its activity against key oral pathogens.
- To compare its effectiveness with a standard antiseptic.
Main Methods:
- Mentha piperita leaf extract prepared using cold water extraction.
- Tested against Streptococcus mutans, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, and Candida albicans.
- Zones of inhibition measured, compared to 0.2% chlorhexidine using ANOVA.
Main Results:
- Mentha piperita extract exhibited significant antimicrobial activity.
- Maximum inhibition observed against S. mutans, followed by A. actinomycetemcomitans and C. albicans.
- Statistical analysis confirmed significant efficacy (p < 0.001) compared to chlorhexidine.
Conclusions:
- Mentha piperita extract possesses notable antimicrobial properties against oral microorganisms.
- It can be considered a potential alternative or complementary therapy for oral diseases.
- Findings provide valuable information for dental professionals regarding herbal medication efficacy.
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