Chemical composition, antibacterial, and antifungal effects of Citrus medica (citron), Pimpinella anisum (anise), and Artemisia dracunculus (tarragon) on oral pathogens: An in vitro study

Abstract

Background: Dental caries are caused by acidic by‑products from bacterial fermentation of dietary
carbohydrates and can lead to oral complications. Oral candidiasis is another disease affecting quality
of life, especially in diabetic and immunocompromised patients. Interest in using Persian medicine
to manage oral diseases has been growing recently. Persian medicine texts highlight medicinal
plants such as Artemisia dracunculus, Citrus medica, and Pimpinella anisum for oral health benefits.
The present research explores the antimicrobial effects of these plants against microorganisms
causing caries and oral candidiasis.
Materials and Methods: This is an in vitro study, aimed to evaluate the chemical composition, and
antimicrobial effects of C. medica, P. anisum, and A. dracunculus on oral pathogens. Based on criteria
such as accessibility, recognizability, and novelty, leaves of A. dracunculus, peels of C. medica, and
seeds of P. anisum were chosen. Their chemical compositions were analyzed after procuring the
plant samples and preparing their essential oils (EOs). Subsequently, the diameters of the inhibition
zones and their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration/
minimum fungicidal concentration values were measured.
Results: The major chemical components of P. anisum’s EO (PAEO), A. dracunculus’ EO (ADEO), and
C. medica’s EO (CMEO) were estragole (75.77%), anethole (89.03%), and limonene (92.31%),
respectively. All pathogens were susceptible to all EOs except Streptococcus salivarius, which was
resistant to CMEO and had the highest MIC. Except for this EO, all the other EOs showed inhibition
zones with diameters ranging from 6 to 30 mm, ADEO being the most effective. In MICs, Lactobacillus
acidophilus was the most sensitive microorganism tested with MIC. In contrast, the most resistant
microorganism was S. salivarius.
Conclusion: The attained results demonstrated that the examined plants possess notable
antimicrobial properties against oral pathogens.
Key Words: Anti‑infective agents, dental caries, medicinal plants, oral candidiasis, volatile oils

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Mina Mohebian: Pubmed,Google Scholar