Comparison of the Antimicrobial Effect of Atorvastatin and Nano-Atorvastatin Mouthwash on Aggregatibacter Actinomycetemcomitans: An in vitro Study.

Abstract

Background: The emergence of resistance, side effects, and the high cost of drugs indicates a need for other therapeutic alternatives with similar properties but fewer side effects.

Purpose: The present study aims to compare the antimicrobial effect of atorvastatin and nano-atorvastatin mouthwash on Aggregatibacter Actinomycetemcomitans.

Materials and method: In this in vitro study, the atorvastatin and nano-atorvastatin mouthwashes were prepared, and their antibacterial property against Aggregatibacter Actinomycetemcomitans was assessed using the agar well diffusion and microbroth dilution tests. Water and chlorhexidine were considered as the negative and positive control groups. Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were used to compare the size of the diameter of the non-growth halo. Data analysis was obtained using SPSS V.22, and the significance level was considered less than 0.05.

Results: The results of the well diffusion test showed that the diameter of the non-growth halo of chlorhexidine, atorvastatin, and nano-atorvastatin was 27, 18, and 12mm, respectively. The diameter of the halo of non-growth among different substances was statistically significant (p Value=0.08), however, no significant difference was observed between atorvastatin and nano-atorvastatin (p= 0.05). The findings of the microbroth dilution test showed that atorvastatin and nano-atorvastatin had the minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.039 and 0.002 µg/ml, respectively.

Conclusion: The present study suggests strong antimicrobial activity of atorvastatin and nano-atorvastatin against Aggregatibacter Actinomycetemcomitans. Therefore, these substances can be used as an additional drug in treating periodontal diseases.