Antimicrobial activity of tannin components from Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.

Reactive oxygen species have been implicated as important pathological medi ators in many clinical disorders, including periodontal disease. As a possi ble alternative for the treatment of periodontal disease, the antimicrobial activity of six tannins isolated from Vaccinium vitis-idaea L., with confi rmed antioxidant activity, were assayed by the agar dilution method against selected periodontal pathogens, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Porp hyromonas gingivalis a nd Prevotella intermedia. The results showed that ep icatechin-(4 beta-->8)-epicatechin-(4 beta-->8, 2 beta-->O-->7)-catechin ha d strong antimicrobial activity against P. gingivalis and P. intermedia, bu t not A. actinomycetemcomitans. The other tannins tested did not show antim icrobial activity. We conclude that tannins isolated from V. vitis-idaea L. with antimicrobial activity could potentially be used for the treatment of periodontal disease.