title: Prunus mume extract exhibits antimicrobial activity against pathogenic oral bacteria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Prunus mume is a common fruit in Asia, which has been used in traditional Chinese medicine. In this study, we focused on the antimicrobial properties of Prunus mume extract against oral pathogens related to dental caries and periodontal diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 15 oral pathogens including Streptococcus mutans, S. sobrinus, S. mitis, S. sanguinis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, P. gingivalis, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, and Candida species were included in the study. Initially, agar diffusion assay was performed to screen the antimicrobial activities of Prunus mume extract. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were then determined for sensitive species. Effect of Prunus mume extract on human oral keratinocytes (HOK) viability was also tested.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the agar diffusion assay, drug suspension of 2 g/mL was able to inhibit all the bacterial species tested, but not the fungal species. MIC and MBC range of Prunus mume extract against the oral bacteria was 0.15625-0.0003 g/mL and P. gingivalis being the most susceptible species. Prune extract did not cause any detrimental effect on HOK.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prunus mume extract may be a potential candidate for developing an oral antimicrobial agent to control or prevent dental diseases associated with oral pathogenic bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Biosciences, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Chamida J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Seneviratne
authors.forename: Ricky W K
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Urban
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hägg
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Thanuja D K
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Herath
authors.forename: P Lakshman
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Samaranayake
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kao
mesh_terms: D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans / Q000187:drug effects; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002175:Candida / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects; D041221:Candida glabrata / Q000187:drug effects; D041022:Candida tropicalis / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D019343:Citric Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D007779:Lactobacillus acidophilus / Q000187:drug effects; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D019815:Oxalic Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000187:drug effects; D027861:Prunus / Q000737:chemistry; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000187:drug effects; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects; D034361:Streptococcus mitis / Q000187:drug effects; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000187:drug effects; D016986:Streptococcus sobrinus / Q000187:drug effects; D013644:Tartrates / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013644:Tartrates; D019343:Citric Acid; D019815:Oxalic Acid; C029768:tartaric acid