• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• 제16권4호
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• pp.376-380
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• 2011

We investigated the total phenolic and flavonoid contents and the antimicrobial activity of ethanol extracts obtained from Saussurea lappa C.B. Clarke. The ethanol extracts of S. lappa C.B. Clarke were fractionated with various solvents (n-hexane, chloroform, and n-butanol). The antimicrobial activity of S. lappa C.B. Clarke was examined by disc-diffusion and micro-dilution susceptibility assays with six food-borne pathogens, and compared to that of the synthetic antibiotics. It is found that the S. lappa C.B. Clarke ethanol extract and n-hexane fraction have strong activity against B. cereus and V. parahaemolyticus strains compared to ampicillin. The inhibitory concentration ($IC_{50}$) values of hexane fraction against L. monocytogenes, B. cereus, and B. subtilis were 62.5, 250 and 500 ppm, respectively. Therefore, these data suggest that S. lappa C.B. Clarke may be useful as antimicrobial agents against food-borne pathogens.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• 제40권1호
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• pp.50-57
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• 2015

Objectives: The usage of medicinal plants as natural antimicrobial agents has grown in many fields including dental medicine. The aim of this in vitro study was three-fold: (i) to determine the chemical compositions of the Ferula gummosa essential oil (FGEO), (ii) to compare the antimicrobial efficacy of the oil with sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and chlorhexidine (CHX), (iii) to assess the toxic behavior of FGEO in different concentrations compared to 5% NaOCl and 0.2% CHX. Materials and Methods: Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was used to determine the chemical compositions of the oil. The disk diffusion method and a broth micro-dilution susceptibility assay were exploited to assess the antimicrobial efficacy against Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mitis, and Candida albicans. The cytocompatibility of the FGEO was assessed on L929 fibroblasts, and compared to that of NaOCl and CHX. Results: Twenty-seven constituents were recognized in FGEO. The major component of the oil was ${\beta}$-pinene (51.83%). All three irrigants significantly inhibited the growth of all examined microorganisms compared to the negative control group. FGEO at $50{\mu}g/mL$ was effective in lower concentration against Enterococcus faecalis than 5% NaOCl and 0.2% CHX, and was also more potent than 0.2% CHX against Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus. FGEO was a cytocompatible solution, and had significantly lower toxicity compared to 5% NaOCl and 0.2% CHX. Conclusions: FGEO showed a promising biological potency as a root canal disinfectant. More investigations are required on the effectiveness of this oil on intracanal bacterial biofilms.