Antimicrobials from Medicinal Plants: An Emergent Strategy to Control Oral Biofilms

Oral microbial biofilms, directly related to oral diseases, particularly caries and periodontitis, exhibit virulence factors that include acidification of the oral microenvironment and the formation of biofilm enriched with exopolysaccharides, characteristics and common mechanisms that, ultimately,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied sciences 2021-05, Vol.11 (9), p.4020
Main Authors: Milho, Catarina, Silva, Jani, Guimarães, Rafaela, Ferreira, Isabel C. F. R., Barros, Lillian, Alves, Maria José
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acidification
antibiofilm strategies
Antibiotics
Antiinfectives and antibacterials
Antimicrobial agents
Bacteria
Biofilms
Biological properties
Colonization
Dental caries
drug resistance
Essential oils
Exopolysaccharides
Flavonoids
Fungi
Glycoproteins
Herbal medicine
Infectious diseases
Low concentrations
Medicinal plants
Metabolism
Metabolites
Microenvironments
Microorganisms
Natural products
oral biofilm
Oral diseases
Pathogens
Periodontitis
Teeth
Virulence
Virulence factors
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Summary:Oral microbial biofilms, directly related to oral diseases, particularly caries and periodontitis, exhibit virulence factors that include acidification of the oral microenvironment and the formation of biofilm enriched with exopolysaccharides, characteristics and common mechanisms that, ultimately, justify the increase in antibiotics resistance. In this line, the search for natural products, mainly obtained through plants, and derived compounds with bioactive potential, endorse unique biological properties in the prevention of colonization, adhesion, and growth of oral bacteria. The present review aims to provide a critical and comprehensive view of the in vitro antibiofilm activity of various medicinal plants, revealing numerous species with antimicrobial properties, among which, twenty-four with biofilm inhibition/reduction percentages greater than 95%. In particular, the essential oils of Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf and Lippia alba (Mill.) seem to be the most promising in fighting microbial biofilm in Streptococcus mutans, given their high capacity to reduce biofilm at low concentrations.
ISSN:2076-3417
2076-3417
DOI:10.3390/app11094020