Antibacterial effect of silver-zeolite on oral bacteria under anaerobic conditions.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial effect of silver-zeolite (SZ) against oral bacteria under anaerobic conditions.


METHODS
The antibacterial activity of SZ was evaluated by determining the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) using two-fold serial dilutions of SZ in Brain Heart Infusion broth. Release of Ag+ into the broth was measured by an atomic absorption technique.


RESULTS
SZ inhibited the growth of the bacteria tested under anaerobic conditions. The MIC of SZ ranged between 256 and 2048 micrograms/ml, which corresponded to a range of 4.8-38.4 micrograms/ml of Ag+. All strains grew in broth containing 16,384 micrograms/ml of type-A zeolite.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggested that SZ may be a useful vehicle to provide antibacterial activity to dental materials used even under anaerobic conditions such as deep in the periodontal pocket.
Kawahara
K
K
Department of Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan. kawahara@hiroshima-u.ac.jp
Tsuruda
K
K
Morishita
M
M
Uchida
M
M
D000693:Anaerobiosis; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000187:drug effects*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology; D018030:Silver Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D017641:Zeolites / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D018030:Silver Compounds; D017641:Zeolites