Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 22, 2025

Systematic Approach to Identify Novel Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Molecules from Plants' Extracts and Fractions to Prevent Dental Caries
Published on: March 31, 2021
Chalcones with potential antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against periodontopathogenic bacteria
Alessandra Akemi Cury Satokata1, Jonathan Henrique Souza1, Luana Luiza Oliveira Silva1
1Laboratory of Antimicrobial Testing (LEA), Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil.
Objectives:
Periodontitis is a pathology resulting from complex interaction of microorganisms in the dental biofilm with the host's immune system. Increased use of antibiotics associated with their inappropriate use has increased resistance levels in anaerobic bacteria. Therefore, identifying new antimicrobial compounds, such as chalcones, is urgent. This study evaluates the antibacterial activity and the antibiofilm activity of 15 chalcones against the periodontopathogenic bacteria Prevotella nigrescens (ATCC 33563), P. oralis (ATCC 33269), Peptostreptococcus anaerobius (ATCC 27337), Actinomyces viscosus (ATCC 43146), Porphyromonas asaccharolytica (ATCC 25260), and Fusobacterium nucleatum (ATCC 25586).
Methods:
The compounds were evaluated by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration (MBIC) tests.
Results:
Compounds 1-6 showed good antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against most of the evaluated bacteria: MIC was lower than or equal to 6.25 μg/mL, biofilm biomass was reduced by 95%, and the compounds at concentrations between 0.78 and 100 μg/mL totally inhibited cell viability. Among the tested chalcones, 3 stood out: it was effective against all the bacteria, as revealed by the MIC and MBIC results.
Conclusions:
Our results have consolidated a base for the development of new studies on the effects of the tested chalcones as agents to combat and to prevent periodontitis.
Related Concept Videos
Hand hygiene
Hand washing...
Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing
Chemical Agents for Microbial Control
Biofilms
Antimicrobial Effectiveness
Surface Membrane Barriers
The outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, is a robust barrier comprising layers of closely packed keratinized cells. This dense arrangement prevents microbes from penetrating the body. The periodic shedding of epidermal cells...

