title: Assessing the Antimicrobial Effect of the Essential Oil of Myrtus communis on the Clinical Isolates of Porphyromonas gingivalis: An in vitro Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  One of the major diseases affecting the oral health is periodontal disease. Various therapeutic methods have been introduced to eliminate the periodonto-pathic subgingival microflora. Among these, Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) has a major role in the pathogenesis of different forms of periodontal diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study investigated the antimicrobial effect of the essential oil of Myrtus communis on Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) as the most destructive periodontal pathogens.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects included 27 male and 3 female patients with advanced chronic periodontitis. The mean age of the patients was 47.6 ± 2.0 years old. P. gingivalis was isolated from the samples and identified by various diagnostic tests, including Gram staining, Indol test, and fluorescent test. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the essential oil against isolated P. gingivalis was determined by broth micro-dilution method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study, 0.12 - 64 μL/mL Myrtus communis essence were used for 30 P. gingivalis isolates and the MIC50 and MIC90 concentration of Myrtus communis essence against the isolates was equal to 1 and 8 μL/mL respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results showed that Myrtus communis has antimicrobial effects against P. gingivalis. Further studies are suggested to include this essence in therapeutic protocols of periodontal disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Azita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hedayati
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Hengameh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khosropanah
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology and Virology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Abdollah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bazargani
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Molud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abed
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology and Virology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Emami
keywords: In vitro; Periodontitis; Porphyromonas gingivalis