In vitro assessment of the antibacterial potential of Cordia myxa extracts against common periodontal pathogens

Background: Periodontal illnesses like gingivitis and periodontitis are long-term infections that damage the structures that support teeth and are linked to a wide range of oral bacteria. Plant-based solutions are being looked at since oral infections are becoming more resistant to antibiotics and traditional antimicrobial therapies have their limits. Cordia myxa, which has been used in Unani and Ayurvedic medicine for a long time, has demonstrated promising antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects since it contains a lot of different phytochemicals. Aim: The goal of this study was to assess the efficacy of ethanolic and methanolic extracts of Cordia myxa leaves against common oral infections and to compare their effectiveness to that of a regular commercial mouthwash. Methods: We picked ripe Cordia myxa leaves from western Iraq and used maceration to extract them with 70% ethanol and 99% methanol. We tested the antibacterial activity against nine strains of bacteria that live in the mouth, such as Leuconostoc mesenteries, Staphylococcus lentus, Rothia kristinae, and Enterococcus faecium, using the agar well diffusion method. We took measurements of the zone of inhibition and used ANOVA to find out if the results were significant at p < 0.01. Results: The commercial mouthwash had the strongest antibacterial effect on all tested strains, with inhibition zones ranging from 17.12 mm to 22.13 mm. Methanolic extracts worked better than ethanolic extracts, creating inhibition zones as big as 15.97 mm. Enterococcus faecium and E. durans were the least sensitive to all treatments, whereas Staphylococcus lentus and Rothia kristinae* were among the most sensitive. ANOVA showed that the treatments made a statistically significant change for all of the strains that were evaluated. Conclusion: Cordia myxa leaves extracts, especially those made with methanol, have promising antibacterial properties against oral infections and may be good natural substitutes or additions to synthetic mouthwashes. To help with the integration of these substances into modern oral healthcare, more research into their active components and clinical use is needed.