Brazilian red propolis reduces orange-complex periodontopathogens growing in multispecies biofilms

Abstract

This study investigated the antimicrobial effects of the ethanolic extract of Brazilian red propolis (BRP) on multispecies biofilms. A seven-day-old subgingival biofilm with 32 species was grown in a Calgary device. Biofilms were treated with BRP (1,600, 800, 400 and 200 μg ml⁻¹) twice a day for 1 min, starting from day 3. Chlorhexidine (0.12%) and dilution-vehicle were used as positive and negative controls, respectively. On day 7, metabolic activity and the microbial composition of the biofilms by DNA-DNA hybridization were determined. The viability data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post hoc, whereas the microbial composition data were transformed via BOX-COX and analyzed using Dunnett’s post hoc. BRP (1,600 μg ml⁻¹) decreased biofilm metabolic activity by 45%, with no significant difference from chlorhexidine-treated samples. BRP (1,600 μg ml⁻¹) and chlorhexidine significantly reduced levels of 14 bacterial species compared to the vehicle control. Taken together, BRP showed promising antimicrobial properties which may be useful in periodontal disease control.

Keywords:

• Multispecies biofilm
• propolis
• antimicrobial
• periodontal disease

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) for the scholarship provided to first author, National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) for the scholarship provided to second author and the “Fundação Instituto para o desenvolvimento da Amazônia – FIDESA” for the financial support provided to last author.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.