Antimicrobial and cytotoxic evaluation of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius and Cnidoscolus chayamansa on Porphyromonas gingivalis.

Abstract

Introduction: Recent studies have found the presence of Porphyromonas gingivalis in the oral cavity of pediatric patients with obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus and juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Ethanolic extracts of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius and Cnidoscolus chayamansa have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties and have been used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Objective: To evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of C. aconitifolius and C. chayamansa against P. gingivalis, a periodontopathogenic bacterium, and to evaluate their cytotoxicity. Material and methods: The antimicrobial activity against P. gingivalis was evaluated by Kirby-Bauer method, at concentrations of 350, 400 and 450mg/ml, six replicates were performed, incubated at 37°, readings were taken after 24 hours, 2% chlorhexidine was used as a positive control.  The evaluation of the cytotoxicity of C. aconitifolius and C. chayamansa on CaCo-2 cells and gingival fibroblasts was performed by MTT assay, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was calculated by microdilution in 96-well microplates. Results: The extracts of C. chayamansa and C. aconitifolius shown an average inhibition of .56 and .04cm respectively compared to the positive control which presented an average of 1.2cm.  In the cytotoxicity assay the minimum inhibitory concentration was 2.5mg/ml and no cytotoxicity was found at high concentrations of the extract. Conclusions: Both ethanolic extracts of C. aconitifolius and C. chayamansa show antimicrobial activity against P. gingivalis and no cytotoxic activity on CaCo-2 cell lines and gingival fibroblasts.