Essential oils and isolated compounds from Lippia alba leaves and flowers: antimicrobial activity and osteoclast apoptosis.
In the present study, essential oils extracted from the leaves and flowers of Lippia alba (Mill.) N.E.Br. (L. alba) were analyzed for their antimicrobial activity and their effects on osteoclasts. The periodontal pathogens, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (A. actinomycetemcomitans; ATCC 43717), Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum; ATCC 25586) and Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis); ATCC 33277) were used in antimicrobial activity assays for determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), whereas Bacteroides fragilis (B. fragilis; ATCC 25285) was used as the control microorganism. Osteoclast (OC) apoptosis was assessed by TUNEL assay and Fas receptor expression was detected by immunocytochemistry. The analysis of antimicrobial activity revealed that P. gingivalis had the lowest MIC values, whereas A. actinomycetemcomitans had the highest. L. alba essential oils were found to be toxic to human cells, although the compounds, carvone, limonene and citral, were non-toxic and induced apoptosis in the OCs. This study demonstrates that L. alba has potential biotechnological application in dentistry. In fact periodontal disease has a multifactorial etiology, and the immune response to microbial challenge leads to osteoclast activation and the resorption of the alveolar bone, resulting in tooth loss.
Center for Health Sciences, Federal University of Recôncavo da Bahia, Cajueiro, 44570-000 Santo Antônio de Jesus, Bahia, Brazil.
Paulo José Lima
PJ
Juiz
Department of Mathematical Sciences, Area of Chemistry, State University of Feira de Santana, 44031-460 Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil.
Angelica Maria
AM
Lucchese
Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
Roberto
R
Gambari
Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
Roberta
R
Piva
Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
Letizia
L
Penolazzi
Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
Martina
M
Di Ciano
Department of Biological Sciences - UESC, State University of Santa Cruz, Salobrinho, 45662900 Ilheus, Bahia, Brazil.
Ana Paula Trovatti
AP
Uetanabaro
Center for Agricultural, Environmental and Biological Sciences, Federal University of Recôncavo da Bahia, 44380-000 Cruz das Almas, Bahia, Brazil.
Franceli
F
Silva
Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, 05508-900 Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil.
Mario Julio
MJ
Avila-Campos
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D035264:Flowers / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D032411:Lippia / Q000737:chemistry*; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010936:Plant Extracts