title: Essential oil of Curcuma longa inhibits Streptococcus mutans biofilm formation.
abstract: Curcuma longa (C. longa) has been used as a spice in foods and as an antimicrobial in Oriental medicine. In this study, we evaluated the inhibitory effects of an essential oil isolated from C. longa on the cariogenic properties of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans), which is an important bacterium in dental plaque and dental caries formation. First, the inhibitory effects of C. longa essential oil on the growth and acid production of S. mutans were tested. Next, the effect of C. longa essential oil on adhesion to saliva-coated hydroxyapatite beads (S-HAs) was investigated. C. longa essential oil inhibited the growth and acid production of S. mutans at concentrations from 0.5 to 4 mg/mL. The essential oil also exhibited significant inhibition of S. mutans adherence to S-HAs at concentrations higher than 0.5 mg/mL. S. mutans biofilm formation was determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and safranin staining. The essential oil of C. longa inhibited the formation of S. mutans biofilms at concentrations higher than 0.5 mg/mL. The components of C. longa essential oil were then analyzed by GC and GC-MS, and the major components were α-turmerone (35.59%), germacrone (19.02%), α-zingiberene (8.74%), αr-turmerone (6.31%), trans-β-elemenone (5.65%), curlone (5.45%), and β-sesquiphellandrene (4.73%). These results suggest that C. longa may inhibit the cariogenic properties of S. mutans.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Pedodontics, School of Dentistry, Wonkwang Univ., Iksan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Kwang-Hee
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Beom-Su
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ki-Suk
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Keum
authors.forename: Hyeon-Hee
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Young-Hoi
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Byoung-Soo
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Ji-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Ra
authors.forename: Hae-Dalma
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Bo-Ra
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Na-Young
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Yong-Ouk
authors.initials: YO
authors.lastname: You
mesh_terms: D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D030024:Curcuma / Q000737:chemistry*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012463:Saliva / Q000382:microbiology; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010938:Plant Oils