The Effect Of Radix Scutellariae And Tea Polyphenol On Halitosis-correlated Bacteria And Substrate

Objective: The object of this study was to assess the anti-halitosis effect of radix scutellariae and tea polyphenol through their effect on halitosis -correlated bacteria and protein which is one of the major halitosis -correlated substrates. The possibility of two traditional Chinese medicine as a new drug for preventing halitosis was explored.Methods: (1)Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Streptococcus sanguis had been chosen as the experimental bacteria. The minimal inhibitory concentration(MIC) of two kinds of agents were tested through minute amount serial dilution test; (2) Protein precipitation-spectrophotometry was used to evaluate the ability of depositing protein; (3)Capability of inhibiting halitosis-correlated bacteria and influencing on the odor production of these bacteria in vivo was assessed through Cysteine challenge test, and effectiveness was determined by the percent reduction of the VSC response and effect duration. Duration was assessed as the time it takes for the response to ruturn to that seen at the basline.Results: (1) Both radix scutellariae and tea polyphenol could inhibit all experimental bacteria, especially the tea polyphenol, but their MIC values for Streptococcus sanguis were higher than those of halitosis-correlated bacteria. (2)Tea polyphenol had great potential of depositing protein, and theabsorbency on the wavelength of 510 nm was 0.466, while on the contrary,radix scutellariae could hardly deposit protein. (3) After rinsed with radixscutellariae and tea polyphenol(4mg/ml), the reductions of the VSC responseat the time of 20min, 60min and 120min were 38.31%, 26.51%, 16,78% and51.29%, 37.42%, 26.27% respectively; their duration were 144min and190min respectively. Whereas, after rinsed with distilled water, the durationwas only 46min and the reduction of the VSC response at the time of 20minwas only 14.99%. The differences among the three groups weresignificantly(P<0.05).Conclusion: Both radix scutellariae and tea polyphenol are effective forinhibiting halitosis-correlated bacteria in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, teapolyphenol is more effectively because it has the potential of depositingprotein.