Screening of plants with anticariogenic properties from Brazilian Pantanal

Abstract

In the past decades, the interest on natural products has increased. The aim of this study is to evaluate plants extracts from the Brazilian Pantanal regarding their antimicrobial and citotoxicity in order to identify plants that show potential anticariogenic properties. The extracts will be obtained using leaves harvested in different seasons and using two solvents (water or alcohol). The following microrganisms will be employed: Actinomyces naeslundii ATCC 19039, Candida albicans ATCC 18804, Lactobacillus acidophilus 4356, Streptococcus gordonii ATCC 10558, S. mitis ATCC 9811, S. mutans ATCC 35688, S. sanguinis ATCC 10556 e S. sobrinus ATCC 33478. On Working Package 1, the active extracts will be identified by the agar diffusion test and will be tested regarding their maximum inhibitory dilution. The extracts with the highest activity will be evaluated regarding: a) mass recovery; b) stability; c) chemical caracterization by thin layer chromatography. The extracts with the best results will be studyed regarding their kinetics of antimicrobial activity in suspension and in biofilm and influence of sub-inhibitory concentrations on microorganisms adherence to glass. On Working Package 2, the extract that presented the highest antimicrobial activity will be evaluated regarding their citotoxicity in vitro (analysis of mitocondrial activity from human epithelial cells) and in vivo (histopathological evaluation of rats mucosa and internal organs). The more active extracts and less citotoxic will be finally evaluated in a model of microbial interaction between S. mutans and C. albicans that will be developed.