Antimicrobial activities of an ethanol extract from Sciadopitys vertillata

Abstract

Natural antimicrobial substances are good candidates for replacing antibiotics to which bacteria have become resistant. We evaluated the antimicrobial effect against oral microorganisms of an ethanol extract from leaves and twigs of Sciadopitys vertillata. The extract was active not only against the periodontopathic bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis and Prevotella intermedia/nigrescens, but also against facultative cocci and rods, including biofilm-forming bacteria that possess meshwork-like structures around cells. To elucidate the effect of this activity, we examined the viability of an indicator strain after exposure to the extract. We found that the viable count was significantly reduced over time, suggesting a bactericidal effect. These results indicate that this extract may be useful as a preventive and therapeutic substance for periodontal disease.