J Korean Acad Oral Health.  2016 Mar;40(1):38-42. 10.11149/jkaoh.2016.40.1.38.

Destabilizing effect of glycyrrhetinic acid on pre-formed biofilms of Streptococcus mutans

• Yu J
• Lee D
• Lee S

• KMID: 2190636
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.11149/jkaoh.2016.40.1.38

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
In this study, the destabilizing effect of glycyrrhetinic acid on pre-formed biofilms of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) was observed.
METHODS
Alamar blue assay was used to determine the toxicity of glycyrrhetinic acid on pre-formed biofilms of S. mutans. Four different concentrations (0, 3.75, 7.5, 15 µg/ml) of glycyrrhetinic acid were tested. Changes in the biofilm architecture after exposure to glycyrrhetinic acid were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Moreover, the role of glycyrrhetinic acid in enhancing the antimicrobial activity of cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), an antimicrobial agent commonly used in oral health care products, was evaluated.
RESULTS
Glycyrrhetinic acid concentration of up to 15 µg/ml had little cytotoxic effect but significantly changed the biofilm architecture. SEM analysis revealed destabilized biofilm structure after the preformed biofilms were exposed to glycyrrhetinic acid. Supplementing 2.5 µg/ml CPC with 15 µg/ml glycyrrhetinic acid significantly enhanced the bactericidal effect of CPC on the pre-formed biofilms than that in the non-supplemented CPC treated control. This indicates that glycyrrhetinic acid enhanced the antimicrobial activity of CPC by modifying the structure, thus facilitating the penetration of CPC into the biofilm.
CONCLUSIONS
Glycyrrhetinic acid could be a potential agent to effectively control S. mutans biofilms responsible for dental caries.

Keyword

Biofilm destabilizing effect; Dental caries; Glycyrrhetinic acid; Streptococcus mutans

MeSH Terms

Biofilms*
Cetylpyridinium
Dental Caries
Glycyrrhetinic Acid*
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Oral Health
Streptococcus mutans*
Streptococcus*
Cetylpyridinium
Glycyrrhetinic Acid

Figure

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  Fig. 1. Cytotoxicity of Glycyrrhetinic acid on pre-formed biofilms of S. mutans.

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  Fig. 2. SEM images of formed biofilms of S. mutans. (A) non-treated control; (B) biofilms treated with 15 μg/ml Glycyrrhetinic acid.

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  Fig. 3. Effect of Glycyrrhetinic acid on the antimicrobial activity in the pre-formed biofilms of S. mutans.

Reference

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