Abstract
The study investigated bamboo extract, which was distilled at 200℃ under a reduced pressure of 20 mmHg, as an antibacterial agent or disinfectant for dental use. Antibacterial and bactericidal activities of the bamboo extract against Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus), Streptococcus mutans (S.mutans) and Candida albicans (C.albicans) were examined by measuring MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) and MBC (minimum bactericidal concentration), respectively. Then the bamboo extract was tested for toxicity when administered orally to mice at a dosage of 2000 mg/kg.
The MIC of the bamboo extract was 5%, 0.625% and 2.5% against S.aureus, S.mutans and C.albicans, respectively. The bactericidal activity was confirmed by MBC, which was nearly equal to the MIC, against these microorganism. The 5% bamboo extract exhibited a marked antibacterial and bactericidal activity against these microorganism. The bamboo extract contained more than 40 components, which were mainly Furans or Phenols. All of the mice were in normal health before and after the toxicity tests. There was no detectable amount of arsenic, lead or mercury in the bamboo extract. These results suggest that the bamboo extract can be used safely as an antibacterial agent or disinfectant comparable to conventional compounds used for those purpose.
