In vitro antimicrobial activity of Miswak extracts against some oral pathogenic isolates

Authors

  • Abdul–Ghany Omer B.Sc. (Agonomy)/ M.Sc. (Pesticider and weed control)/ Ph..D. (Physiology of weeds and medical plants) Assistant Professor, College of Science/ University of Salahaddin.
  • Sozan Muhsin Qarani B.Sc. (Microbiology) /M.Sc. (Medical Microbilogy-Microbial Genentics) Assistant Lecturer / College of Dentistry / Hawler Medical University
  • Amera Kamal Khalil B.Ds. /M.Sc. (Oral Pathology) Assistant Professor / College of Dentistry / Hawler Medical University.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15218/zjms.2010.012

Keywords:

Miswak, chewing stick, Salvadora persica, cariogenic bacteria

Abstract

Background and objective: Siwak, Miswak, or Arak (Salvadora persica ) belongs to Salvadoraceae and is considered as the most widely used twigs since early times by Babylonians some 7000 years ago, it was later used throughout the Greek and Roman empires, and has also been used by ancient Egyptians and Muslims. The aim of this study was to determine the antibacterial activities of different extracts of Siwak on the growth of different oral isolates of Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aerus and Candida albicans.

Methods: Experiments were conducted in the laboratories of the College of Science, University of Salahaddin and College of Dentistry, Hawler Medical University for a period from Jun. 2008 to Feb. 2009, to determine the effects of different Siwak (Salvadora persica) extracts at concentrations of 500, 1000, 5000 and 10000 µg/ ml on the growth of different oral isolates of Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans.

Results: The results showed that all Siwak extracts (especially Siwak aqueous extract) were effective against Streptococcus mutans. and Staphylococcus aureus. The strongest antibacterial activity was observed using the concentrations of 10000 µg/ ml. While Siwak extracts were ineffective against Candida albicans.

Conclusion: Siwak extracts had significant antibacterial effect against Streptococcus mutans. and Staphylococcus aureus, and ineffective against Candida albicans.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

Darout I, Cristy A, Skaug N, Egeberg P.Identification and quantification of some potentially antimicrobial anionic component in Miswaq extract. Ind J Pharm 2000;32:11-4.

Al-Otaibi M, Al-Harthy M, SoderB, Gustafsson A, Angmar-Mansson B. Comparative effect of chewing sticks and tooth brush on plaque removal and gingival health.Oral Health Prev Dent 2003;1:301-7.

Almas K, Al-Zeid Z. The immediate antimicrobial effect of a toothbrush and Miswak on cariogenic bacteria. J.Contemp Dent Pract 2004;1:48-151.

Poureslami HR, Makarem A, Mojab F. Paraclinical effects of Miswak extract on dental plaque. Dent Res J 2007;4: 106-110.5.

Al-Lafi T, Ababneh H.The effect of the Extract of miswak (chewing sticks) Used in Jordan and Middle East on oral bacteria. Int Dent J .1995;45:218- 22.

Al-Bagien NH, Idowu A, Salako NO. Effect of aqueous extract of miswak on the in vitro growth of Candida albicans.Microbios Lett 1994;80:107- 113.

Ali H, Konig GM, Khalid SA et al. Evaluation of selected Sudanese medical plants for their in vitro activity against hemoflagellates, selected bacteria, HIV-1- RT and tyrosine kinase inhibitory, and for cytotoxicity. J.Ethnopharmacol 2002; 83:219-228.

Howalda F, AbdelRahman, Nils S et al. In vitro antimicrobial effects of crude miswak exracts on oral pathogens. Saudi Dental Journal 2002;14:26-32.

Gul MI, Chandhry M, Farooq , Jan R. Preliminary studies on antimicrobial effects of common wood of Pakistan and extractive. Pakistan J. Forestry, 1988; 38:167-173.

Harborn, J. B. Photochemical methods. Hasted Presses. John Wiley and Sons, New York 1973.

Koneman EW, Allen SD,Dowell UR et al.Color atlas and text book of diagnostic microbiology. Philade-lphia,J.B.Lippincott; 1988.

WHO: Preventive Method and Programme for Oral Diseases.1987.

Al-Lafi T, Ababneh H.The effect of the miswak (chewing sticks) used in Jordan and the middile east on the oral bacteria.Int Dent J 1995;45:218- 22.

Almas K.The antimicrobial effects of extracts Azadirachta indica (Neem) and Salvadora persica (Arak) chewing sticks. Indian J Dent Res 1999;10:23-26.

Claesson RL, Gustafsson AK, Linstrom PK. Strong antibacterial effect of miswak against oral microorganism Journal of Periodontology 2008; 79(8): 1474-9.

Al-Bagieh NH. Effect of benzylisoth- iocyanate on growth and acide prodution of Candida albicans. Biomedical Letters 1998;58:139-145.

Al-Bagieh N,Idowu A, Salako .Effect of aqueous exract of miswak on the in vitro growth of Candida albicans. Biomedical Letters 1994 ; 80:107-13.

Abo Al-Samh D, Al-Bagieh N. A study of the antimicrobial activity of the miswak ethanolic extract in vitro. Biomedical Letters 1996;53: 225-36.

Al-Bayati FA, Suliman KD.In vitro antimicrobial activity of Salvadora persica L extracts against some isolated oral pathogen in Iraq.Turk J Biol 2008;32:57-62.

Deborah KB, Mecky IN, Olipa DN, Cosam CJ, Zakaria HM.Screening of Tanzanian medical plants for anticandida activity. BMC Complementary and alternative Medicine 2006;6:6-11.

Downloads

Published

2010-04-01

How to Cite

Omer, A. ., Qarani, S. M., & Khalil, A. K. (2010). In vitro antimicrobial activity of Miswak extracts against some oral pathogenic isolates. Zanco Journal of Medical Sciences (Zanco J Med Sci), 14(1), 71–78. https://doi.org/10.15218/zjms.2010.012

Issue

Section

Original Articles