Ethinomedicine Plant Based Product in Caries Management

Background: Ethnic medicinal practice has come into foucus in recent times due to increased awareness of side effects of the medicine (pharmaceutical drugs). In oral health care also the focus is shifted to herbal products (neem sticks/leaves, mango leaves) for brushing from commercially available tooth paste and brush. In our survey on oral health use of jatropha curcas instead of brushing with tooth brush and paste was observed and the dental caries prevalence was low. Objective: The observation from the survey initiated the present study to evaluate antibacterial activity of jatropha curcas leaves against tooth caries organism strepococcus mutans. Method: Collection And Identification of Plant Material was done Preparation Of The Jatropha Curcas Extract with leaves and dilution in to 1:3 ratio with ethyl acetate and methanol was done 3 Antibacterial Activity was performed with strain Streptococcus mutant by inoculating into 20ml Luria Bertini broth. 100 ml of Muller-Hinton agar was sterilized and poured into sterile petri plates in the laminar chamber and allow to solidify. 100μl of the cultures were spread onto the plates using a spreader. 5 wells were punched on each plate using a 5 mm megabore for four different sample concentrations. 50μl of the dilutions were pipetted into the wells and all the plates were incubated at 37°C overnight. The zone of inhibition was observed and the diameter of the zone was recorded. Results: The antibacterial activity of jatropha curcas extracts was observed and it varied with in the types of extract preparation. Methanolic extract preparation has shown better antibacterial effect against streptococcus mutans. Conclusion: Jatropha curcasa leaves can be a potential antibacterial agent against cariogenic microorganism streptococcus mutans