Med. Weter. 82 (12), 628-632, 2026
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| ZORAN TAMBUR, DOLORES OPAČIĆ, ADAM MALEŠEVIĆ, NEMANJA BOROVČANIN, VANJA MIJANOVIĆ, VLADIMIR BIOČANIN |
| Effect of Different Medicinal Plants Against Dental Plaque Pathogens |
| Medicinal plants are natural sources of active phytochemicals with therapeutic potential. The aim of this study was to investigate their effect against microorganisms frequently associated with oral diseases (Streptococcus mutans, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Candida albicans). The antimicrobial activity was evaluated based on the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determined by the tryptic soy agar dilution method. Among five ethanolic extracts of medicinal plants investigated in this study, only Hypericum perforatum extract showed no activity. Extracts of Origanum vulgare, Salvia officinalis/ Achilea millefolium, Centaurium erythraea and Chelidonium majus showed antibacterial and antifungal activity in the range of 50-400 μg/mL. These results justify the use of selected medicinal plants for treatment of various infectious oral diseases. Further investigations are required before they can be recommended as antimicrobial drugs.. |
| Keywords: medicinal plant extracts; oral cavity; dental pathogens; antimicrobial activity; minimum inhibitory concentrations. |