Antimicrobial Activity ofPiper marginatumJacq andIlex guayusaLoes on Microorganisms Associated with Periodontal Disease

Abstract

Background. Chronic periodontitis is a multifactorial infectious disease, where multiple bacteria, such asPorphyromonas gingivalis,Prevotella intermedia, andFusobacterium nucleatumare implicated. The main purpose of researching natural products is to find substances or compounds with antimicrobial activity.Aim. The objective of this work was to determine antimicrobial activity from extracts and obtained fractions fromPiper marginatumJacq andIlex guayusaLoes onP. gingivalisATCC 33277,F. nucleatumATCC 25586, andP. intermediaATCC 25611.Methods. Total ethanol extracts were obtained from both plants. Fractions were obtained from total ethanol extracts with amberlite as a stationary phase employing hexane, acetone, and ethanol-water as solvents. Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical characterization was performed on total ethanol extracts from both plants. Antimicrobial activity from total ethanol extracts and fractions from both plants were evaluated onP. gingivalisATCC 33277,F. nucleatumATCC 25586, andP. intermediaATCC by the well diffusion method with Wilkins–Chalgren agar.Results.Piper marginatumJacq total ethanol extract presented antimicrobial activity against all three bacteria, whereasIlex guayusaLoes was only efficient againstP. gingivalisATCC 33277 andP. intermediaATCC 25611, with inhibition halos from 9.3 to 30 mm.Ilex guayusaLoes obtained fractions presented antimicrobial activity against all three microorganisms evaluated, with inhibition halos ranging from 9.7 to 18.7 mm. In regards toPiper marginatumJacq fractions, inhibition halos were between 8.3 and 19 mm, against all three microorganisms evaluated; only hexane fraction did not present antimicrobial activity againstF. nucleatumATCC 25586.Conclusion.Piper marginatumJacq andIlex guayusaLoes total ethanol extracts and fractions presented outstanding antimicrobial activity againstP. gingivalisATCC 33277,P. intermediaATCC 25611, andF. nucleatumATCC 25586.