ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF ABUTILON INDICUM LEAF EXTRACT AGAINST PERIODONTAL PATHOGENS: AN IN VITRO STUDY

Purpose: Periodontitis, the leading cause of tooth loss, is ascribed to periodontopathic bacteria in periodontal tissues. Amongst them, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Tannerella forsythia are contemplated to be prime consortium in the succession of periodontitis. As there has been a gradual escalation in antibiotic resistance over the last decade, phyto drugs have presumed an eminent part as a feasible substitute therapy in dentistry. Hence experimentation of new antimicrobial compounds procured from the herbal product is the need of the hour. Functional components of Abutilon indicum, i.e., flavonoids, alkaloids, sterols, triterpenoids and glycosides, bring about an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effect. So, the present study is conducted to estimate the antimicrobial activity of Abutilon indicum extract against Aggregatibacter actimomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Tannerella forsythia. Methodology: Bacterial strains, particularly Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Tannerella forsythia, were cultured on Thioglycollate broth. Minimum inhibitory concentration was detected by serial broth dilution of Abutilon indicum extract to 100, 50, 25, 12.5, 6.5, 3.12, 1.6, 0.8, 0.4, and 0.2 mg/ml, respectively. The tubes were subsequently incubated for 48 hours at 37 °C. Results: Abutilon indicum impeded the growth of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Tannerella forsythia in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: Abutilon indicum has the property of antibacterial activity against periodontopathic bacteria and may be an effective and efficient agent for averting periodontitis.