Preliminary Study of the Antimicrobial, Anticoagulant, Antioxidant, Cytotoxic, and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Five Selected Plants with Therapeutic Application in Dentistry

Abstract

The usefulness of traditional plants in Mexico to treat human ailments has been known since ancient times. This work evaluated the antimicrobial, anticoagulant, antioxidant, cytotoxic, and anti-inflammatory potential of ethanolic extracts of Aloe vera, Equisetum arvense, Mimosa tenuiflora, Lippia graveolens, and Syzygium aromaticum. The antimicrobial activity of the extracts was evaluated against Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sorbinus; a significant inhibitory effect of the L. graveolens extract on both bacteria was observed at concentration levels of 250 µg/mL and greater. The anticoagulant activity was evaluated in terms of prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), A. vera and M. tenuiflora extracts showed no significant difference (p ˂ 0.05) in PT compared with the control, and for APTT the extracts of A. vera, L. graveolens, and S. aromaticum decreased the APTT significantly (p ˂ 0.05) compared with the control. The antioxidant potential by DPPH assay indicated that the E. arvense extract behaved statistically the same as the control. The cytotoxic activity was evaluated in HGF-1 cells using the fluorometric microculture cytotoxicity assay technique, and none of the extracts was toxic at 125 and 250 µg/mL concentrations. Finally, the anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using ELISA, where the A. vera extract showed the best anti-inflammatory capacity. Further research on the search for bioactive metabolites and elucidation of action mechanisms of the most promising extracts will be carried out.

Keywords: anti-inflammatory properties; antibacterial activity; anticoagulant activity; interleukins; medicinal plants; natural extracts; traditional medicine.

Figure 1

In vitro evaluation of the prothrombin time (PT) caused by A. vera (Av), E. arvense (Ea), L. graveolens (Lg), M. tenuiflora (Mt), and S. aromaticum (Sa) extracts at 500 and 1000 µg/mL. Data represent means in seconds (s) taken to control a healthy patient’s times (C). Differences between treatments were determined using Tukey’s post hoc test. Significant differences between treatment groups are represented by different letters, and equal letters indicate no significant difference between treatments.

Figure 2

In vitro evaluation of the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) caused by A. vera (Av), E. arvense (Ea), L. graveolens (Lg), M. tenuiflora (Mt), and S. aromaticum (Sa) extracts at 500 and 1000 µg/mL. Data represent means in seconds (s) taken to control a healthy patient’s times (C). Differences between treatments were determined using Tukey’s post hoc test. Significant differences between treatment groups are represented by different letters, and equal letters indicate no significant difference between treatments.