Anti-bacterial and anti-biofilm activities of arachidonic acid against the cariogenic bacterium Streptococcus mutans.

ABSTRACT: Streptococcus mutans is a Gram-positive, facultative anaerobic bacterium, which causes dental caries after forming biofilms on the tooth surface while producing organic acids that demineralize enamel and dentin. We observed that the polyunsaturated arachidonic acid (AA) (ω-6; 20:4) had an anti-bacterial activity against S. mutans, which prompted us to investigate its mechanism of action. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of AA on S. mutans was 25 μg/ml in the presence of 5% CO₂, while it was reduced to 6.25-12.5 μg/ml in the absence of CO₂ supplementation. The anti-bacterial action was due to a combination of bactericidal and bacteriostatic effects. The minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration (MBIC) was the same as the MIC, suggesting th

SUBMITTER: Chamlagain M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11002910 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature