An in vitro evaluation of antibacterial activity of curcumin against Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans

Abstract

Introduction: Development of bacterial resistance to the available antibiotics and increasing popularity of traditional medicine has led researchers to investigate the antibacterial compounds in plants. In this context, curcumin has been shown to have a range of beneficial properties, like antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, which might be favorable for the treatment of inflammatory diseases like periodontitis. Aims and objectives: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial potential of curcumin against Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (ATCC 29523). Materials and methods: The bacterial strains of A. actinomycetemcomitans from the stock were revived and transferred to sterile brain heart infusion (BHI) broth. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by serial broth dilution of curcumin. The last tube with clear supernatant was considered to be without any growth and taken as MIC value. Results: The mean MIC value of curcumin against A. actinomycetemcomitans (ATCC 29523) was reported to be 0.2 μg/ml. Conclusion: Thus, it can be concluded that the pleiotropic activities of curcumin derived from its complex chemistry and its ability to influence and control the multiple signaling pathways, makes it a suitable and safer option for the treatment of periodontal diseases.