• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.621-627
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• 2005

Halitosis is mainly caused by the presence of volatile sulfur-containing compounds (VSC's) produced by proteolytic periodontopathic bacteria in the oral cavity. Various mouth-rinses have been offered on the market as solutions to reduce halitosis. The aim of this study was to find a potent substance for the prevention of halitosis. The halitosis prevention substance (HPS) from cumin seed powder was purified by solvent extraction, silica gel column chromatography and preparative TLC to yield an oil phase (0.98%). Instrumental analysis such as FT-IR, $^1H$-NMR and $^{13}C$-NMR showed that HPS contained an -OH group, -HC=CH-, -COO-, and long chain acyl group. HPS was therefore determined to be 2-hydroxyethyl-${\beta}$-undecenate. HPS inhibited the growth of Fusobacterium nucleatum and Porphyromonas gingivalis, by 72.44% and 64.37% at $1{\times}10^{-2}\;M$, and by 99.85% and 91.62% at $5\;{\times}\;10^{-2}\;M$, respectively. It also inhibited the activity of L-methionine-${\alpha}$-deamino-${\gamma}$-mercaptomethane-lyase (METase), which was produced by oral microbes. Furthermore, the VSC production by oral microbes in the human mouth air decreased with increasing HPS concentration. These results suggested that HPS from cumin seed is an efficient halitosis prevention agent.