by David Vang, Aline Cristina de Abreu Moreira-Souza, Nicholas Zusman, German Moncada, Harmony Matshik dakafay, Homayon Asadi, David M. Ojcius, Cassio Luiz Coutinho Almeida-da-Silva.Â
Abstract.
#Boswellia trees are the source of #frankincense, which can be found throughout the Middle East and parts of Africa and Asia. Boswellia serrata extract has been shown to have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial effects. #Periodontitis is an oral chronic inflammatory disease that affects nearly half of the US population. We investigated the antimicrobial effects of B. serrata extract on two oral pathogens associated with periodontitis. Using the minimum inhibitory concentration and crystal violet staining methods, we demonstrated that Porphyromonas gingivalis growth and biofilm formation were impaired by treatment with B. serrata extracts. However, there were no significant effects on Fusobacterium nucleatum growth and biofilm formation. Using colony-forming units quantification and microscopy techniques, we also showed that concentrations of B. serrata that were not toxic for host cells decreased intracellular P. gingivalis infection in human gingival epithelial cells. Our results show antimicrobial activity of a natural product extracted from Boswellia trees (B. serrata) against periodontopathogens. Thus, B. serrata has the therapeutic potential for preventing and/or treating periodontal diseases. Future studies will identify molecular components of B. serrata extracts responsible for the beneficial effects.
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