THE SUSCEPTIBILITY OF DENTAL PLAQUE BACTERIA TO THE HERBS INCLUDED INLONGO VITAL(R)

Longo Vital(R) herbal tablets have been shown to have a protective eff ect against periodontal bone loss in rats. This may be ascribed either to a previously demonstrated immuno-stimulatory effect of the tablets , to an antimicrobial effect of the herbs or to a combination of both. In the present study the in vitro susceptibility of 12 dental plaque bacteria to six individual herbs included in Longo Vital(R) was determ ined by a broth dilution method. Paprika, rosemary leaves and peppermi nt inhibited two thirds of the tested bacteria at 2.8-45 mg/ml, 0.75-1 2mg/ml and 3-24 mg/ml corresponding to 0.8-12.5 per cent, 1.6-25 per c ent and 12.5-100 per cent of the recommended daily dose, respectively. A combination of paprika and rosemary leaves tested towards five susc eptible bacteria revealed a decreased inhibitory effect on two of thes e bacteria, especially of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans to papr ika, but conversely a pronounced increase in susceptibility of Peptost reptococcus anaerobius, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Prevotella interm edia now susceptible to 0.01-0.70 mg/ml of each herb, corresponding to 0.02-0.2 per cent of the recommended daily dose. The active ingredien ts of the herbs, however, and the concentrations of these obtained in blood and periodontal tissues after ingestion of Longo Vital(R) are no t known.