In vitro anticariogenic effects of aerial parts of Potentilla recta and its phytochemical profile.

This study, for the first time, investigated the in vitro inhibitory effects of Potentilla recta extracts and subfractions obtained with solvents of different polarity (aqueous, 50% ethanol, diethyl ether, ethyl acetate and n-butanol) against cariogenic Streptococcus spp. strains. It was found that the tested samples inhibited the growth of oral streptococci. Furthermore, all five P. recta preparations exhibited an inhibitory effect on water-insoluble α-(1→3)-,α-(1→6)-linked glucan (mutan) and artificial dental plaque formation. The ethyl acetate fraction showed the highest antibiofilm activities especially against S. sobrinus GCM 20381, with minimum mutan and biofilm inhibition concentrations of 6.25 and 25 µg/mL, respectively. The phytochemical profile of active constituents in the investigated samples was analysed. The high polyphenolics (total phenol, phenolic acids, tannins, proantocyanidins, flavonoids) content were found. The ethyl acetate fraction showed the highest concentration of total polyphenol content which may correlate with the high cariogenic activity of this subfraction. The results demonstrate that P. recta extracts and subfractions could become useful supplements for pharmaceutical products as new anticariogenic agents in a wide range of oral care products. Further studies are necessary to clarify the precise bioactive constituents of P. recta responsible for the anticariogenic properties.