Antimicrobial Activity of Aloe vera and Thymus vulgaris Gel Extracts against Oral Dysbiosis in Hospitalized Patients - An In vitro Study

Introduction: Hospitalized patients develop oral dysbiosis due to their inability to follow proper oral hygiene practices. Literature shows the association between oral dysbiosis and aspiration-induced pneumonia among hospitalized patients. Natural plant extracts are proving to be promising prospects as an antimicrobial agent replacing conventional antibiotics. Therefore, our study is based on the antimicrobial efficacy of two natural plant extracts in their gel forms against oral dysbiosis in hospitalized patients. Objective: To evaluate the antimicrobial activity of two herbal gel extracts against opportunistic bacteria. Subjects and Methods: The experimental products of two gel-type plant extracts were selected – Thymus vulgaris and Aloe vera ( A. vera ). The antimicrobial activity of natural agents against opportunistic aspiration pneumonia-inducing bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus , Klebsiella pneumoniae , Escherichia coli , and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was comparatively analyzed based on the inhibition zone diameter using the agar disk-diffusion method. Results: Among the experimental groups, only A. vera gel showed an inhibitory effect against three bacteria with the maximum inhibitory effect on S . aureus (inhibition zone diameter – 20.36 mm). Conclusion: A. vera natural gel extracts may be used as potential antimicrobial agents for the oral management of hospitalized patients to prevent aspiration-induced pneumonia.