Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activity of Jasminum officinale Extracts against Dental Plaque forming Microflora

Dental plaques are a common factor in many oral diseases such as dental caries, gingivitis and periodontal infections. They are composed of diverse microbial communities which persist by forming biofilms in the oral cavity. Although several chemical based remedies are available for plaque control, their prolonged use is often associated with adverse effects. In an attempt to find a natural remedy, the present study evaluated the antimicrobial and anti-biofilm forming potential of aqueous extracts of Jasminum officinale leaves and flowers. Their activity was determined against plaque-forming microorganisms isolated in this study from oral cavity of individuals suffering from dental plaques. In total, 12 isolates were obtained from 25 samples, and included 5 gram negative (Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Serratia marcescens and Enterobacter hormaechei), 3 gram positive (Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus hominis and Kocuria kristinae), 2 yeasts (Candida parapsilosis and Candida albicans) and 2 anaerobic gram positive bacteria (Paraclostridium bifermentans, Schaalia odontolytica). The biochemical profiles of plant samples were also evaluated based on Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis. The GC–MS chromatogram identified 69 compounds in the leaf extract and 65 compounds in the flower extracts of J. officinale. Both extracts showed efficient antimicrobial and antibiofilm potential against the test organisms, which can be attributed to the rich biochemical profile of the plant. Overall, our findings suggest that J. officinale based anti-plaque formulations such as mouthwashes, toothpastes, gels and chewing gums may be an effective alternative to chemical based agents available in the market.