This study investigated the antimicrobial activity of methanol extract of mulberry leaf against 16 strains of mutans streptococci and four species of periodontopathogens: Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. The antimicrobial activities of the crude extracts or silica gel chromatography fractions of methanol-extracted mulberry leaf were evaluated by determining minimal inhibitory concentrations using an established microdilution method. The cytotoxicity of the extracts of mulberry leaf on KB cells was tested by the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay. Chromatography fraction 12 displayed the most potent antimicrobial activity against all 16 strains of mutans streptococci, P. gingivalis, and P. intermedia. No KB cell cytotoxicity was evident up to 128μg/ml of fraction 12. The methanol extract had no antimicrobial activity against F. nucleatum and A. actinomycetemcomitans. These results suggest chromatography fraction 12 methanol extract of mulberry leaf could be useful in the development of oral hygiene products, such as dentifrice and oral hygiene solution, for the prevention of dental caries.

• Park, Soon-Nang(Korean Collection for Oral Microbiology and Department of Oral Biochemistry, School of Dentistry, Chosun University)
• Lim, Yun Kyong( Korean Collection for Oral Microbiology and Department of Oral Biochemistry, School of Dentistry, Chosun University) | Lim, Yun Kyong
• Cho, Eugene( Korean Collection for Oral Microbiology and Department of Oral Biochemistry, School of Dentistry, Chosun University) | Cho, Eugene
• Jo, Eojin( Korean Collection for Oral Microbiology and Department of Oral Biochemistry, School of Dentistry, Chosun University) | Jo, Eojin
• Park, Pyoung-Sim( Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Chosun University) | Park, Pyoung-Sim
• Kook, Joong-Ki( Korean Collection for Oral Microbiology and Department of Oral Biochemistry, School of Dentistry, Chosun University) | Kook, Joong-Ki