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Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Effects of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Ephedra major Against Some Microbial Agents of the Oral Cavity

Maryam Dalaei Moghaadam, Asma Sepahdar, Ashkan Jabbari-Eshkeftaki, Mahmoud Bahmani, Pegah Shakib

Abstract



Ephedra major is a valuable medicinal plant that has various therapeutic effects, including antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antimicrobial effect of the hydroalcoholic extract of Ephedra major on oral cavity bacteria including Streptococcus mutans, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus Salivarius and Candida albicans. In this study, after preparing the hydroalcoholic extract of Ephedra major, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum lethal concentration (MBC) were determined by microdilution in 96-well plates. Then, cytotoxicity was measured by the MTT method. The tests of determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) showed that the antimicrobial activity of the extract depends on the type of microorganism. The lowest MIC value for Streptococcus salivarius was 78 μg/mL and the highest resistance was for Streptococcus mutans with 2500 μg/mL. Also, strains of Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Candida albicans were inhibited at a concentration of 625 μg/mL. Based on the results of the cytotoxicity test, the extract had concentration-dependent cytotoxic effects. Compared to doxorubicin, it showed less toxicity on HaCaT cells. The results of this study showed that the hydroalcoholic extract of Ephedra major has significant antimicrobial effects against a range of microorganisms associated with oral infections and has less cytotoxicity than the chemical drug. Therefore, this plant can be suggested as a natural and safe option in the development of disinfectant products in the field of dentistry.

Keywords


Ephedra major, Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC), Cytotoxicity, HaCaT cells, Oral infections.

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