International Journal of Oral Biology

The Korean Academy of Oral Biology (대한구강생물학회)
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Antimicrobial Effects of Ursolic Acid against Mutans Streptococci Isolated from Koreans

  • Kim, Min-Jung (Department of Oral Biochemistry and Oral Biology Research Institute, School of Dentistry, Chosun University) ;
  • Kim, Chun-Sung (Department of Oral Biochemistry and Oral Biology Research Institute, School of Dentistry, Chosun University) ;
  • Park, Jae-Yoon (Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Chosun University) ;
  • Lim, Yun-Kyong (Department of Oral Biochemistry and Oral Biology Research Institute, School of Dentistry, Chosun University) ;
  • Park, Soon-Nang (Department of Oral Biochemistry and Oral Biology Research Institute, School of Dentistry, Chosun University) ;
  • Ahn, Sug-Joon (Dental Research Institute and Department of Orthodontics, College of Dentistry, Seoul National University) ;
  • Jin, Dong-Chun (Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture, Yanbian University) ;
  • Kim, Tae-Hyung (Department of Restorative Sciences, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California) ;
  • Kook, Joong-Ki (Department of Oral Biochemistry and Oral Biology Research Institute, School of Dentistry, Chosun University)
  • Received : 2010.12.13
  • Accepted : 2011.02.11
  • Published : 2011.03.31
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Abstract

Ursolic acid is a triterpenoid compound present in many plants. This study examined the antimicrobial activity of ursolic acid against mutans streptococci (MS) isolated from the Korean population. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated by the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and time kill curves of MS. The cytotoxicity of ursolic acid against KB cells was tested using an MTT assay. The $MIC_{90}$ values of ursolic acid for Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus isolated from the Korean population were $2 {\mu}g$/ml and $4 {\mu}g$/ml, respectively. Ursolic acid had a bactericidal effect on S. mutans ATCC $25175^T$ and S. sobrinus ATCC $33478^T$ at > $2 \;{\times}\; MIC (4 {\mu}g$/ml) and $4 \;{\times}\; MIC (8 {\mu}g$/ml), respectively. Ursolic acid had no cytotoxic effect on KB cells at concentrations at which it exerted antimicrobial effects. The results suggest that ursolic acid can be used in the development of oral hygiene products for the prevention of dental caries.

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References

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