GC/MS Profiling and Ex Vivo Antibacterial Activity of Salvadora persica (Siwak) against Enterococcus faecalis as Intracanal Medicament

Nahla Ayoub; Nadia Badr; Saeed S Al-Ghamdi; Arwa Alzahrani; Rahaf Alsulaimani; Afnan Nassar; Rawabi Qadi; Ibtesam K Afifi; Noha Swilam

doi:10.1155/2021/6333867

GC/MS Profiling and Ex Vivo Antibacterial Activity of Salvadora persica (Siwak) against Enterococcus faecalis as Intracanal Medicament

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2021 Dec 27:2021:6333867. doi: 10.1155/2021/6333867. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Nahla Ayoub¹, Nadia Badr², Saeed S Al-Ghamdi¹, Arwa Alzahrani³, Rahaf Alsulaimani³, Afnan Nassar⁴, Rawabi Qadi¹, Ibtesam K Afifi^{5

6}, Noha Swilam⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University (UQU), Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
² Department of Dental Biomaterials, Faculty of Dentistry, Umm Al-Qura University (UQU), Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
³ Bachelor of Dental Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Umm Al-Qura University (UQU), Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Department of Preventive Dentistry, Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, Umm Al-Qura University (UQU), Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Department of Basic and Clinical Oral Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Umm Al-Qura University (UQU), Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.
⁷ Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, The British University in Egypt (BUE), Cario, Egypt.

Abstract

Introduction: Salvadora persica L. (S. persica, Siwak) has been used for many centuries as oral hygiene tools, particularly in Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of S. persica petroleum ether extract (SPE) as an intracanal bactericidal for endodontic treatment against Enterococcus faecalis. Calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)₂ gold standard intracanal medicament was used for comparison.

Methods: The gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis was carried out to identify the components of SPE. First, the consistency of SPE was accomplished according to ANSI/ADA specification no 57. Forty-five single-rooted mandibular premolars were infected with that of E. faecalis suspension. Colony-forming units (CFU) were counted before the medicaments' application (CFU-1) and after seven days of their applications (CFU-2). Group I: SPE, Group II: positive control Ca(OH)₂, and Group III: saline solution negative control. The microdilution method was applied to determine minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) of SPE.

Results: Thirty-two compounds were identified (89.09%), with main components of benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) (33.32%) and steroids (34%). CFU before and after using SPE and Ca(OH)₂ recorded a statistically significant reduction in bacterial count (P=0.006) and (P=0.01), respectively. There was an insignificant difference between CFU after using SPE and Ca(OH)₂ (P=0.210). On the contrary, comparing both medicaments with the negative control saline group resulted in significant differences, (P=0.001) and (P=0.007), respectively. Moreover, the equality of minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of SPE is recorded.

Conclusion: This finding could be referred to the high content of bactericidal BITC in synergism with other antimicrobial components, representing 70.71% of SPE. Thus, SPE is a good candidate as an intracanal medicament, which warrants further investigation.