Detection of antibacterial activities of Miswak, Kalonji and Aloe vera against oral pathogens & anti-proliferative activity against cancer cell line

Abstract

Background: Emerging drug resistance and hindrance of treatment is provoking scientists to search new, less expensive medicinally active compounds. Dental diseases caused by oral pathogens are very frequent chronic infections around the world. The medical potentials of a lot of Pakistani local herbs and herbal combinations is relatively unknown, hence attempted to explore. A study was designed to investigate potential role of local medicinal herbs for example Miswak, Kalonji & Aloe vera as antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-proliferative agents against oral pathogens and cancer cell line.

Methods: Medicinal extracts were prepared in solvents of different polarities. Their antimicrobial activity was determined alone and in combination against oral pathogens. Antioxidant activity was evaluated through Catalase and Superoxide dismutase assay and anti-proliferative activity was evaluated through 3-(4, 5-Dimethylthiazol-2-Yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide) assay.

Results: Plant extracts alone and in combinations were found significantly effective as antimicrobial agent against standard ATCC strains of C. albicans and S. aureus (P ˂0.001). Especially Miwak extract was found highly significant against fungus. Extracts of Kalonji were found significant in inhibiting growth of HeLa cell lines. Miswak and Kalonji showed significant levels of antioxidant activity.

Conclusion: Medicinal herbs Miswak and Kalonji have potential to be used for therapeutic purposes. Results suggested that herbal medicinal composition can be prepared using these extracts after applying scientific standardization methods.

Keywords: Anti cancer; Antimicrobial; Antioxidant; Herbal medicine.

Fig. 1

Preparation of herbal extracts in combinations: a Combination prepared by mixing extracts of same herb extracted in different solvents (b) Combination prepared by mixing different herbal extracts in the same solvent

Fig. 2

Minimum inhibitory concentration of Miswak extracted in petroleum ether against C. albicans

Fig. 3

Activity of Miswak alone and in combination with Aloe vera and Kalonji against S. aureus and C. albicans. Petroleum ether Miswak + Ethanol Miswak (PM+EM), Petroleum ether Miswak + Water Miswak (PM+EM), Petroleum ether Miswak + Petroleum ether Kalonji (PM+PK), Petroleum ether Aloe vera + Petroleum ether Miswak (PA+PM), Nystatin 100 IU/disc and Ciprofloxacin 5 μg/disc as positive control, and DMSO as negative control

Fig. 4

Zone of inhibition produced by miswak extract in Petroleum ether alone and in combination with ethanol against both test organisms. a PM extract against c. albicans, b PM+EM extract combination against S. aureus

Fig. 5

Anti-proliferative activity of plant extract against HeLa cell line Note: PM (Petroleum ether miswak), EM (Ethanol Miswak), WM (Water Miswak), PK (Petroleum ether Kalonji), EK (Ethanol Kalonji), WK (Water Kalonji), PA (Petroleum ether Aloe vera), EA (Ethanol Aloe vera), WA (Water Aloe Vera). Absorbance was taken at 570 nm

Fig. 6

a & b Catalase and Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of herbal extracts Note: PM (Petroleum ether miswak), EM (Ethanol Miswak), WM (Water Miswak), PK (Petroleum ether Kalonji), EK (Ethanol Kalonji), WK (Water Kalonji), PA (Petroleum ether Aloe vera), EA (Ethanol Aloe vera), WA (Water Aloe Vera). The figure shows the pretreatment and post treatment levels of Catalase and Superoxide dismutase levels of herbal extract verses controls with standard error. The absorbance was taken at 240 nm and 560 nm respectively