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Updated: Jul 4, 2025

Systematic Approach to Identify Novel Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Molecules from Plants' Extracts and Fractions to Prevent Dental Caries
Published on: March 31, 2021
Medicinal herbs, especially Hibiscus sabdariffa, inhibit oral pathogenic bacteria
Kazuya Takada1, Shizuki Nakano2, Reina Nishio2
1Division of Infections and Molecular Biology, Department of Health Promotion, Kyushu Dental University, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, 803-8580, Japan; Division of Developmental Stomatognathic Function Science, Department of Health Promotion, Kyushu Dental University, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, 803-8580, Japan.
Objectives:
Medicinal herbs are plants with potential medicinal and health benefits. In recent years, they are being increasingly used as a treatment alternative owing to their effectiveness against various diseases. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of 15 medicinal herbs on causative bacteria for dental caries and periodontal disease.
Methods:
This study evaluated the effects of the extracts of 15 medicinal herbs on growth and biofilm formation in five oral pathogenic bacterial strains. The herbs were processed into extracts, and bacterial strains were cultured. Then, bacterial growth and biofilm formation were assessed using various methods. Finally, the extract of the herb Hibiscus sabdariffa (hibiscus) was analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography.
Results:
Incubation of bacteria with the herbal extracts showed that hibiscus exerted a significant inhibitory effect on all the oral pathogenic bacterial strains evaluated in this study. In addition, the pigment delphinidin-3-sambubioside, which is found in hibiscus extract, was identified as a particularly important inhibitory component.
Conclusions:
These results lay the ground work for the potential development of novel therapeutic or preventive agents against dental caries and periodontal disease, two major oral diseases.
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