Oral Microbiome Using Colocasia antiquorum var. esculenta Extract Varnish in a Mouse Model with Oral Gavage of P. gingivalis ATCC 53978.

Background and Objective: There is increasing interest in preventing periodontitis using natural products. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Colocasia antiquorum var. esculenta (CA) varnish on the oral microbiome and alveolar bone loss in a mouse periodontitis model. Materials and Methods: Antibacterial activity against Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) ATCC 53978 and cell cytotoxicity using CCK-8 on L929 cells were measured. Balb/c mice were assigned into five groups (negative control, positive control, CA in drinking water, varnish, and CA varnish). P. gingivalis was administered to the mice by oral gavage three times. After sacrifice, the oral microbiome and the levels of the inflammatory cytokine IL-1ß and matrix metalloproteinase-9 were analyzed. Alveolar bone loss was measured using micro-computed tomography. Results: CA extract showed an antibacterial effect against P. gingivalis (p < 0.05) and showed no cytotoxicity at that concentration (p > 0.05). Although alpha diversity of the oral microbiome did not statistically differ between the groups (p > 0.05), the relative abundance of dominant bacteria tended to be different between the groups. The inflammatory cytokine IL-1ß was reduced in the CA varnish group (p < 0.05), and no difference was observed in MMP-9 expression and alveolar bone loss (p > 0.05). Conclusions: CA varnish did not affect the overall microflora and exhibited an anti-inflammatory effect, suggesting that it is possibility a suitable candidate for improving periodontitis.

Effects of Colocasia antiquorum var. Esculenta Extract In Vitro and In Vivo against Periodontal Disease.

Background and Objectives: Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory disease in which gradual destruction of tissues around teeth is caused by plaque formed by pathogenic bacteria. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of 75% ethanol extract of Colocasia antiquorum var. esculenta (CA) as a prophylactic and improvement agent for periodontal disease in vitro and in vivo. Materials and Methods: The antimicrobial efficacy of CA against Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis, ATCC 33277) was evaluated using minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) test, and cytotoxicity was confirmed by CCK-8 assay. For the in vivo study, P. gingivalis was applied by oral gavage to BALB/c mice. Forty-two days after the first inoculation of P. gingivalis, intraoral swabs were taken for microbiome analysis, and the mice were sacrificed to evaluate the alveolar bone loss. Results: The MIC of CA against P. gingivalis was 31.3 µg/mL, the MBC was 62.5 µg/mL, with no cytotoxicity. The diversity of the oral microbiome decreased in the positive control group, while those of the VA (varnish) and VCA (varnish added with CA) groups increased as much as in the negative control group, although the alveolar bone loss was not induced in the mouse model. Conclusions: CA showed antibacterial effects in vitro, and the VA and VCA groups exhibited increased diversity in the oral microbiome, suggesting that CA has potential for improving periodontal disease.

Inhibitory Effect of Asplenium incisum on Bacterial Growth, Inflammation, and Osteoclastogenesis.

Background and Objectives:Asplenium incisum, a natural plant, is known to possess numerous pharmacological and biochemical properties. However, the inhibitory effect of A. incisum against Porphyromonas gingivalis and other factors related to periodontal disease have not yet been demonstrated. This study aimed to investigate the potential of A. incisum extract as a phytotherapeutic candidate for improving periodontal diseases by assessing its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-osteoclastogenic activities. Materials and Methods: The inhibition of proliferation of P. gingivalis by A. incisum and the sustainability of its antibacterial activity were evaluated in this study. The production of inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6)) and nitric oxide (NO) from lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells was assessed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. To identify the anti-osteoclastogenic activity, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining and TRAP activity analyses were performed on bone marrow macrophages. Results: The proliferation of P. gingivalis was significantly inhibited by A. incisum (p < 0.001), and the antibacterial activity was sustained for up to 3 days. A. incisum showed anti-inflammatory activities by significantly decreasing the release of TNF-α, IL-6 (p < 0.05), and NO (p < 0.01). In addition, A. incisum significantly suppressed TRAP-positive cells and TRAP activity (at 30 µg/mL, p < 0.01) without causing any cytotoxicity (p > 0.05). Conclusions:A. incisum showed antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-osteoclastogenic activities, suggesting it has strong therapeutic potential against periodontal diseases.