title: Inhibition of Oral Streptococci Growth Induced by the Complementary Action of Berberine Chloride and Antibacterial Compounds.
abstract: Synergistic interactions between natural bioactive compounds from medicinal plants and antibiotics may exhibit therapeutic benefits, acting against oral cariogenic and opportunistic pathogens. The aim of the presented work was to assess the antibacterial activity of berberine chloride (BECl) in light of the effect exerted by common antibiotics on selected reference strains of oral streptococci (OST), and to evaluate the magnitude of interactions. Three representative oral microorganisms were investigated: Streptococcus mutans ATCC 25175 (SM), S. sanguinis ATCC 10556 (SS), S. oralis ATCC 9811 (SO) and microdilution tests, along with disc diffusion assays were applied. Here, we report that growth (viability) of all oral streptococci was reduced by exposure to BECl and was dependent primarily on exposure/ incubation time. A minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of BECl against OST ranged from 512 µg/mL (SS) to 1024 µg/mL (SM, SO). The most noticeable antibacterial effects were observed for S. sanguinis (MIC 512 µg/mL) and the most significant synergistic action was found for the combinations BECl-penicillin, BECl-clindamycin and BECl-erythromycin. The S. oralis reflects the highest MBC value as assessed by the AlamarBlue assay (2058 µg/mL). The synergy between berberine and common antibiotics demonstrates its potential use as a novel antibacterial tool for opportunistic infections and also provides a rational basis for the use of berberine as an oral hygiene measure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry with Endodontics, Medical University of Silesia, Pl. Akademicki 17, Bytom, 41-902 Katowice, Poland. adziedzic@sum.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Arkadiusz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dziedzic
authors.affiliation: Department and Institute of Microbiology and Virology, School of Pharmacy with the Division of Laboratory Medicine in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia, ul. Jagiellońska 4, Sosnowiec, 41-200 Katowice, Poland. rwojtyczka@sum.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Wojtyczka
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, School of Pharmacy with the Division of Laboratory Medicine in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia, ul. Ostrogórska 30, Sosnowiec, 41-200 Katowice, Poland. rkubina@sum.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kubina
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001599:Berberine / Q000819:agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D006801:Humans; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology*; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D001599:Berberine
keywords: MBC; MIC; antimicrobial activity; berberine; microdilution assay; opportunistic infection; oral streptococci