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Article Type

Article

Abstract

Background: Streptoccocus Oralis is an early colonizer in dental biofilm and contributes to plaque formation and periodontal inflammation. The search for safe, natural antimicrobial alternatives has increased interest in herbal agents such as Triphala and Aloe vera. However, their combined activity against S. oralis has not been fully assessed alongside phytochemical profiling.

Aim: To evaluate the antibacterial activity of aqueous-extracted Triphala, Aloe vera, and their combination against S. oralis, including inhibition zone measurement, MIC, MBC, and HPLC characterization. Materials and Methods: Aloe vera gel and Triphala powder were extracted using aqueous extraction and freeze-drying. Antibacterial activity was assessed using agar well-diffusion, MIC, and MBC assays at concentrations of 20–100%. Chlorhexidine 0.12% served as the positive control. Statistical analysis included one-way ANOVA and LSD tests. Phytochemical profiling of Triphala was performed using HPLC.

Results: The combination extract demonstrated the strongest antibacterial effect, producing inhibition zones of 18.75–25.25 mm, significantly higher than Aloe vera, Triphala alone, and chlorhexidine 0.12% (mean CHX = 13–14 mm; p < 0.05).

The MIC of the combination extract was 5–10%, while the MBC was 20%, indicating potent inhibitory and bactericidal activity at low concentrations.

HPLC profiling of Triphala revealed abundant polyphenols including chebulagic acid (RT 3.51 min), chebulinic acid (RT 3.90 min), gallic acid (RT 4.33 min), ellagic acid (RT 4.92 min), rutin (RT 4.66 min), quercetin (RT 10.05 min), apigenin (RT 16.72 min), chlorogenic acid (RT 18.19 min), and catechin (RT 21.26 min). Vitamin analysis also identified a dominant Vitamin C peak at RT 4.89 min, supporting strong antioxidant potential.

HPLC of Aloe vera identified major anthraquinones including Aloin A/B (RT 5.03 min; 65% of total area), Aloe-emodin (RT 6.27 min), and Emodin (RT 10.14 min) compounds widely recognized for antibacterial, anti-biofilm, and membrane-disruptive effects.

The combined presence of Triphala polyphenols and Aloe vera anthraquinones explains the observed synergistic antibacterial effect against S. oralis.

Conclusion: The aqueous combination of Triphala and Aloe vera exhibits a synergistic, potent antibacterial effect against S. oralis, with inhibition zones surpassing chlorhexidine and demonstrating low MIC (5–10%) and bactericidal MBC (20%). Supported by rich polyphenolic and anthraquinone content identified by HPLC, this combination represents a promising natural alternative or adjunct to chemical antimicrobials for early plaque control.

Keywords

Triphala, Aloe vera, Streptococcus oralis, MIC, MBC, Chlorhexidine, HPLC, Aloin, Aloe-emodin, Polyphenols, Anthraquinones, Synergistic antibacterial activity, In-vitro study

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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