Abstract
Longo Vital® herbal tablets have been shown to have a protective effect against periodontal bone loss in rats. This may be ascribed either to a previously demonstrated immuno-stimulatory effect of the tablets, to an antimicrobial effect of the herbs or to a combination of both. In the present study the in vitro susceptibility of 12 dental plaque bacteria to six individual herbs included in Longo Vital® was determined by a broth dilution method. Paprika, rosemary leaves and peppermint inhibited two thirds of the tested bacteria at 2.8-45 mg/ml, 0.75-12 mg/ml and 3-24 mg/ml corresponding to 0.8-12.5 per cent, 1.6-25 per cent and 12.5-100 per cent of the recommended daily dose, respectively. A combination of paprika and rosemary leaves tested towards five susceptible bacteria revealed a decreased inhibitory effect on two of these bacteria, especially of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans to paprika, but conversely a pronounced increase in susceptibility of Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Prevotella intermedia now susceptible to 0.01-0.70 mg/ml of each herb, corresponding to 0.02-0.2 per cent of the recommended daily dose. The active ingredients of the herbs, however, and the concentrations of these obtained in blood and periodontal tissues after ingestion of Longo Vital® are not known.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease |
| Volume | 9 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Pages (from-to) | 91-95 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| ISSN | 0891-060X |
| Publication status | Published - 1 May 1996 |
Keywords
- Antimicrobial
- Plant extracts
- Plaque bacteria
- Susceptibility testing