Evaluation of the Antibacterial Properties of Lactobacillus acidophilus Metabolites against Oral Plaque Streptococci: An In vitro Study
Author(s): Fatemeh Babadi, Mansour Amin, Fatemeh Ahmadi Behbahani
Abstract
The bacterial plaque is one of the important factors in the destruction of teeth and periodontal tissues. Probiotics have been proved to be effective in the plaque reduction and gingival health maintenance. Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB), especially lactobacilli are known for their antimicrobial activity. Most of the antimicrobial activity is due to the secondary metabolites produced by certain LAB strains. The aim of this study was to investigate the antibacterial effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus metabolites on common oral streptococci. In this in vitro investigation, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of Lactobacillus acidophilus metabolites was assessed using a modified E test, against three plaque-forming bacteria, including Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguinis, and Streptococcus salivarius. The metabolites of Lactobacillus acidophilus were extracted using ethyl acetate. The L. acidophilus metabolites showed potent inhibitory activity against all tested strains. The MICs for S. mutans, S. sanguinis, and S. salivarius were 0.01875, 0.009 and 0.15 mg/ml, respectively. The findings of this study revealed that L. acidophilus produced compounds with a good antibacterial activity which may provide a basis for alternative therapies for the prevention and control of the oral plaque-forming bacteria.
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