Abstract
The occurrence of dental caries is mainly associated with oral pathogens, especially cariogenic bacteria. Numerous studies have validated the traditional use of medicinal plants by investigating the biological activity of essential oils. The Eugenia caryophyllata (clove) essential oil was tested in vitro against a large number of oral pathogens (114 streptococci and 46 yeast strains) using a disc diffusion method. The cytotoxicity assay of Eugenia caryophyllata essential oil on cancer cells (HT29, A549, Hep2, raw 264.7) and normal cells (MRC-5) was determined by the ability of the cells to metabolically reduce MTT to a formazan dye. Our results revealed that Eugenia essential oil possessed an excellent antibacterial activity against oral streptococci including the cariogenic bacteria as well as an excellent antifungal activity. Furthermore, the Eugenia caryophyllata essential oil showed significant cytotoxic effects against all studied cancer cell lines as judged by IC50 and its value ranges from 15.75 to 200 μg/ml. In conclusion, it is clear that clove oil shows powerful antibacterial and antifungal activity. The cytotoxic activity of the essential oil was dependent on the tested cell lines.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arina B, Iqbal A (2002) In vitro fungitoxicity of the essential oil of Syzygium aromaticum. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 18:317–319
Bagamboula CF, Uyttendaele M, Debevere J (2001) Inhibitory effects of spices and herbs towards Shigella sonnei and S. flexneri. Meded Rijksuniv Gent Fak Landbouwkd Toegep Biol Wet 66:523–530
Cai L, Wu CD (1996) Compounds from Syzygium aromaticum possessing growth inhibitory activity against oral pathogens. J Nat Prod 59:987–990
Chaieb K, Hajlaoui H, Zmantar T, Kahla-Nakbi AB, Rouabhia M, Mahdouani K, Bakhrouf A (2007) The chemical composition and biological activity of clove essential oil, Eugenia caryophyllata (Syzigium aromaticum L. Myrtaceae): a short review. Phytother Res 21:501–506
Chami F, Chami N, Bennis S, Bouchikhi T, Remmal A (2005) Oregano and clove essential oils induce surface alteration of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Phytother Res 19:405–408
Chen CP, Lin CC, Namba T (1989) Screening of Taiwanese crude drugs for antibacterial activity against Streptococcus mutans. J Ethnopharmacol 27:285–295
Cox SD, Mann CM, Markham JL, Bell HC, Gustafson JE, Warmington JR, Wyllie SG (2000) The mode of antimicrobial action of the essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree oil). J Appl Microbiol 88:170–175
Cressy HK, Jerrett AR, Osborne CM, Bremer PJ (2003) A novel method for the reduction of numbers of Listeria monocytogenes cells by freezing in combination with an essential oil in bacteriological media. J Food Protect 66:390–395
Didry N, Dubreuil L, Pinkas M (1994) Activity of thymol, carvacrol, cinnamaldehyde and eugenol on oral bacteria. Pharm Acta Helv 69:25–28
Erdemoglu N, Kupeli E, Yesilada E (2003) Anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activity assessment of plants used as remedy in Turkish folk medicine. J Ethnopharmacol 89:123–129
Friedman M, Henika PR, Mandrell RE (2002) Bactericidal activities of plant essential oils and some of their isolated constituents against Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica. J Food Prot 65:1545–1560
Gayoso CW, Lima EO, Oliveira VT, Pereira FO, Souza EL, Lima IO, Navarro DF (2005) Sensitivity of fungi isolated from onychomycosis to Eugenia cariophyllata essential oil and eugenol. Fitoterapia 76:247–249
Giordani R, Regli P, Kaloustian J, Mikail C, Abou L, Portugal H (2004) Antifungal effects of various oils against Candida albicans. Potentiation of antifungal action of amphotericin B by essential oil from Thymus vulgaris. Phytother Res 18:990–995
Hamada S, Koga T, Ooshima T (1984) Virulence factors of Streptococcus mutans and dental caries prevention. J Dent Res 63:407–411
Jarvinen H, Tenovuo J, Huovinen P (1993) In vitro susceptibility of Streptococcus mutans to chlorhexidine and six other antimicrobial agents. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 37:1158–1159
Kalemba D, Kunicka A (2003) Antibacterial and antifungal properties of essential oils. Curr Med Chem 10:813–829
Loesche WJ (1986) Role of Streptococcus mutans in human dental decay. Microbiol Rev 50:353–380
Lopez P, Sanchez K, Batlle R, Nerin C (2005) Solid- and vapor-phase antimicrobial activities of six essential oils: susceptibility of selected food-borne bacterial and fungal strains. J Agric Food Chem 53:6939–6946
Maralhas A, Monteiro A, Martins C, Kranendonk M, Laires A, Rueff J, Rodrigues AS (2006) Genotoxicity and endoreduplication inducing activity of the food flavouring eugenol. Mutagenesis 21:199–204
Mari M, Bertolini P, Pratella GC (2003) Non-conventional methods for the control of post-harvest pear diseases. J Appl Microbiol 94:761–766
Matsumura TKM, Hayashi T, Arisawa M, Momose Y, Arai I, Amagaya S, Komatsu Y (2000) a-Glucosidase inhibitors from Paraguayan natural medicine, Nangapiry, the leaves of Eugenia uniflora. Pharm Biol 38:302–307
Miyazawa M, Hisama M (2001) Suppression of chemical mutagen-induced SOS response by alkylphenols from clove (Syzygium aromaticum) in the Salmonella typhimurium TA1535/pSK1002 umu test. J Agric Food Chem 49:4019–4025
Mosmann T (1983) Rapid colorimetric assay for cellular growth and survival: application to proliferation and cytotoxicity assays. J Immunol Methods 65:55–63
Ouattara B, Simard RE, Holley RA, Piette GJ, Begin A (1997) Antibacterial activity of selected fatty acids and essential oils against six meat spoilage organisms. Int J Food Microbiol 37:155–162
Ouhayoun JP (2003) Penetrating the plaque biofilm: impact of essential oil mouthwash. J Clin Periodontol 30:10–12
Oztan MD, Kiyan M, Gerceker D (2006) Antimicrobial effect, in vitro, of gutta-percha points containing root canal medications against yeasts and Enterococcus faecalis. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 102:410–416
Pai MR, Acharya LD, Udupa N (2004) Evaluation of antiplaque activity of Azadirachta indica leaf extract gel–a 6-week clinical study. J Ethnopharmacol 90:99–103
Park MJ, Gwak KS, Yang I, Choi WS, Jo HJ, Chang WJ, Jeung EB, Choi IG (2007) Antifungal activities of the essential oils in Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. Et Perry and Leptospermum betersonni Bailey and their constituents against various dermatiphytes. J Microbiol 45:460–465
Pawar VC, Thaker VS (2006) In vitro efficacy of oils against Aspergillus niger. Mycosis 49:316–323
Rasheed A, Haider M (1998) Antibacterial activity of Camellia sinensis extracts against dental caries. Arch Pharm Res 21:348–352
Tampieri MP, Galuppi R, Macchioni F, Carelle MS, Falcioni L, Cioni PL, Morelli I (2005) The inhibition of Candida albicans by selected essential oils and their major components. Mycopathologia 159:339–345
Yoo CB, Han KT, Cho KS, Ha J, Park HJ, Nam JH, Kil UH, Lee KT (2005) Eugenol isolated from the essential oil of Eugenia caryophyllata induces a reactive oxygen species-mediated apoptosis in HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cells. Cancer Lett 225:41–52
Zaremba ML, Stokowska W, Klimiuk A, Daniluk T, Rozkiewicz D, Cylwik-Rokicka D, Waszkiel D, Tokajuk G, Kierklo A, Abdelrazek S (2006) Microorganisms in root carious lesions in adults. Adv Med Sci 51:237–240
Zheng GQ, Kenney PM, Lam LK (1992) Sesquiterpenes from clove (Eugenia caryophyllata) as potential anticarcinogenic agents. J Nat Prod 55:999–1003
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kouidhi, B., Zmantar, T. & Bakhrouf, A. Anticariogenic and cytotoxic activity of clove essential oil (Eugenia caryophyllata) against a large number of oral pathogens. Ann Microbiol 60, 599–604 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13213-010-0092-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13213-010-0092-6