Herbal mouthwash formulated with the leaf extract of Jatropha gossypiifolia Linn. (Euphorbiaceae) exhibited in vitro antimicrobial activity against selected oral pathogens

Increase in the incidence of oral disease, resistance to antibiotics and adverse effect to synthetic medicines has made search for alternative safe, effective and cheaper treatment options imperative, preferably from plant sources. This study evaluated the antimicrobial profile of ethanol extracts of leaf and root bark of Jatropha gossypiifolia and mouthwash formulation containing the leaf extract. Extraction of plant parts was done by cold maceration with 70% ethanol. The antimicrobial activities of the extracts and the formulated mouthwash were evaluated againstStaphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Bacillus subtilis and Candida albicans using Agar well diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentration of the extracts on susceptible organisms was determined according to the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute protocol. The physicochemical parameters of the formulated mouthwash were assessed using standard methods. J. gossypiifolia leaf and root bark extracts exhibited a concentration dependent antimicrobial activity and MIC ranging from 50 to 260 mg/ml against test organisms. The formulated herbal mouthwash showed effective antimicrobial activity and suitable cosmetics properties. This study indicates that the leaf extracts of J. gossypiifolia possess bioactive metabolites with strong antimicrobial activities and its herbal mouthwash formulation has potential in the treatment of various diseases caused by oral pathogens.