2002 Volume 65 Issue 1 Pages 59-70
The influence of antimicrobials against periodontopathic bacterial biofilm formation is still poorly understood. I examined 13 antimicrobials (ten protein synthesis inhibitors, one cell wall synthesis inhibitor and 2 DNA synthesis inhibitors) in terms of their inhibitory effect on exopolysaccharide (EPS) production by Prevotella nigrescens strains 22 and 23 isolated from periodontal pockets. Macrolides had the greatest inhibitory effect on EPS production. Although macrolides at 1/2 MIC reduced viscosity of the culture medium by 12 to 22% that of the controls, they did not affect the growth rate. When each strain was cultured with 1/2 MIC EM for 15 days, the viscosity decreased till the fifth day of culture, at which time it reached its lowest level for the rest of the culture period. After 15 days treatment with EM, all cultures from 50 colonies of each strain showed marked reduction in viscosity regardless of the susceptibility to EM. Colonies resistant to EM were not obtained. In conclusion, these results may suggest that EM has an inhibitory effect on EPS production by Prevotella nigrescens, and therefore might be useful in the treatment of periodontal diseases where EPS plays a key role in biofilm formation. Shika Igaku (J Osaka Odontol Soc) 2002 Mar; 65(1): 59-70.
