Antimicrobial activity of Antrodia camphorata extracts against oral bacteria

Plant-Derived Compounds: A Promising Tool for Dental Caries Prevention

There is a growing shift from the use of conventional pharmaceutical oral care products to the use of herbal extracts and traditional remedies in dental caries prevention. This is attributed to the potential environmental and health implications of contemporary oral products. This comprehensive review aims at the analysis of plant-derived compounds as preventive modalities in dental caries research. It focuses on data collected from 2019 until recently, trying to emphasize current trends in this topic. The research findings suggest that several plant-derived compounds, either aqueous or ethanolic, exhibit notable antibacterial effects against Streptococcus mutans and other bacteria related to dental caries, with some extracts demonstrating an efficacy comparable to that of chlorhexidine. Furthermore, in vivo studies using plant-derived compounds incorporated in food derivatives, such as lollipops, have shown promising results by significantly reducing Streptococcus mutans in high-risk caries children. In vitro studies on plant-derived compounds have revealed bactericidal and bacteriostatic activity against S. mutans, suggesting their potential use as dental caries preventive agents. Medicinal plants, plant-derived phytochemicals, essential oils, and other food compounds have exhibited promising antimicrobial activity against oral pathogens, either by their anti-adhesion activity, the inhibition of extracellular microbial enzymes, or their direct action on microbial species and acid production. However, further research is needed to assess their antimicrobial activity and to evaluate the cytotoxicity and safety profiles of these plant-derived compounds before their widespread clinical use can be recommended.

Isolation and identification of bioactive compounds from Antrodia camphorata against ESKAPE pathogens

Antimicrobial resistance is a major threat to human health globally. Antrodia camphorata was grown in a malt/yeast extract broth liquid medium for 15 days. Then, 4-L fermentation broth was harvested, yielding 7.13 g of the ethyl acetate extract. By tracing the antimicrobial activity, 12.22 mg of the antimicrobial compound was isolated. The structure of 5-methyl-benzo [1,3]-dioxole-4,7-diol (MBBD) was elucidated using NMR and MS data analyses. The antibacterial activity of MBBD was detected through the microbroth dilution method. MBBD exhibited broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) range of MBBD for drug-resistant pathogenic bacteria was 64-256 μg/mL, with the lowest MIC observed for Acinetobacter baumannii (64 μg/mL), followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MIC = 128 μg/mL). Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, and Escherichia coli were also sensitive, with an MIC of 256 μg/mL. The MIC range of MBBD against 10 foodborne pathogens was 12.5-100 μg/mL. Based on the results of this study, MBBD exhibits broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, particularly demonstrating excellent inhibitory effects against A. baumannii. MBBD will be good candidates for new antimicrobial drugs.

From gut to skin: exploring the potential of natural products targeting microorganisms for atopic dermatitis treatment

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common chronic inflammatory skin disease. Recent studies have revealed that interactions between pathogenic microorganisms, which have a tendency to parasitize the skin of AD patients, play a significant role in the progression of the disease. Furthermore, specific species of commensal bacteria in the human intestinal tract can have a profound impact on the immune system by promoting inflammation and pruritogenesis in AD, while also regulating adaptive immunity. Natural products (NPs) have emerged as promising agents for the treatment of various diseases. Consequently, there is growing interest in utilizing natural products as a novel therapeutic approach for managing AD, with a focus on modulating both skin and gut microbiota. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms and interplay between the skin and gut microbiota in relation to AD. Additionally, we provide a comprehensive overview of recent clinical and fundamental research on NPs targeting the skin and gut microbiota for AD treatment. We anticipate that our work will contribute to the future development of NPs and facilitate research on microbial mechanisms, based on the efficacy of NPs in treating AD.

Protocorm-like-body extract of Phalaenopsis aphrodite combats watermelon fruit blotch disease

Bacterial fruit blotch, caused by the seedborne gram-negative bacterium Acidovorax citrulli, is one of the most destructive bacterial diseases of cucurbits (gourds) worldwide. Despite its prevalence, effective and reliable means to control bacterial fruit blotch remain limited. Transcriptomic analyses of tissue culture-based regeneration processes have revealed that organogenesis-associated cellular reprogramming is often associated with upregulation of stress- and defense-responsive genes. Yet, there is limited evidence supporting the notion that the reprogrammed cellular metabolism of the regenerated tissued confers bona fide antimicrobial activity. Here, we explored the anti-bacterial activity of protocorm-like-bodies (PLBs) of Phalaenopsis aphrodite. Encouragingly, we found that the PLB extract was potent in slowing growth of A. citrulli, reducing the number of bacteria attached to watermelon seeds, and alleviating disease symptoms of watermelon seedlings caused by A. citrulli. Because the anti-bacterial activity can be fractionated chemically, we predict that reprogrammed cellular activity during the PLB regeneration process produces metabolites with antibacterial activity. In conclusion, our data demonstrated the antibacterial activity in developing PLBs and revealed the potential of using orchid PLBs to discover chemicals to control bacterial fruit blotch disease.

Porphyromonas gingivalis: where do we stand in our battle against this oral pathogen?

Periodontal diseases, such as gingivitis and periodontitis, are inflammatory diseases triggered by pathogenic bacteria that lead to damage of the soft tissue and bone supporting the teeth. Amongst the identified oral periodontopathogenic bacteria, Porphyromonas gingivalis is able to enhance oral dysbiosis, which is an imbalance in the beneficial commensal and periodontal pathogenic bacteria that induces chronic inflammation. Given the critical role of oral pathogenic bacteria like P. gingivalis in the pathogenesis of periodontitis, local and/or systemic antibacterial therapy has been suggested to treat this disease, especially in its severe or refractory forms. Nevertheless, the majority of the antibacterial agents currently used for the treatment of periodontal diseases are broad-spectrum, which harms beneficial bacterial species that are critical in health, inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria, contribute in protecting the periodontal tissues to damage and aid in its healing. Thus, the development of more effective and specific antibacterial agents is needed to control oral pathogens in a polymicrobial environment. The strategies for the development of novel antibacterial agents include natural product isolation as well as synthetic and semi-synthetic methodologies. This review presents an overview of the periodontal diseases gingivitis and periodontitis along with current antibacterial treatment options (i.e., classes of antibacterial agents and the mechanism(s) of resistance that hinder their usage) used in periodontal diseases that specifically target oral pathogens such as P. gingivalis. In addition, to help medicinal chemists gain a better understanding of potentially promising scaffolds, this review provides an in-depth coverage of the various families of small molecules that have been investigated as potential anti-P. gingivalis agents, including novel families of compounds, repositioned drugs, as well as natural products.

Lactobacillus reuteri AN417 cell-free culture supernatant as a novel antibacterial agent targeting oral pathogenic bacteria

Lactobacillus reuteri AN417 is a newly characterized probiotic strain. The activity of AN417 against oral pathogenic bacteria is unknown. We investigated the antibacterial activity of cell-free L. reuteri AN417 culture supernatant (LRS) against three oral pathogens: Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Streptococcus mutans. P. gingivalis and F. nucleatum have been implicated in periodontal disease, whereas S. mutans causes dental caries. Exposing these oral pathogenic bacteria to LRS significantly reduced their growth rates, intracellular ATP levels, cell viability, and time-to-kill. The minimal inhibitory volume of LRS was 10% (v/v) against P. gingivalis, 20% (v/v) for F. nucleatum, and 30% (v/v) for S. mutans. LRS significantly reduced the integrity of biofilms and significantly suppressed the expression of various genes involved in P. gingivalis biofilm formation. The L. reuteri AN417 genome lacked genes encoding reuterin, reuteran, and reutericyclin, which are major antibacterial compounds produced in L. reuteri strains. LRS treated with lipase and α-amylase displayed decreased antibacterial activity against oral pathogens. These data suggest that the antibacterial substances in LRS are carbohydrates and/or fatty acid metabolites. Our results demonstrate that LRS has antimicrobial activity against dental pathogenic bacteria, highlighting its potential utility for the prevention and treatment of P. gingivalis periodontal disease.

Antrodia cinnamomea Extraction Waste Supplementation Promotes Thermal Stress Tolerance and Tissue Regeneration Ability of Zebrafish

Antrodia cinnamomea (AC) has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, and immunomodulation activities. It is estimated that hundreds of metric tons of AC extraction waste (ACEW) are produced per year in Taiwan. This study aims to assess the feasibility of applying ACEW as feed supplement in the aquaculture industry. ACEW significantly inhibited the growth of microorganisms in the water tank, by around 39.4% reduction on the fifth day with feed supplemented of 10% ACEW. The feed conversion efficiency of zebrafish with 10% ACEW supplementation for 30 days was 1.22-fold compared to that of the control. ACEW dramatically improved the tolerances of zebrafish under the heat and cold stresses. When at water temperature extremes of 38 °C or 11 °C, compared to the 100% mortality rate in the control group, the 10% ACEW diet group still had 91.7% and 83.3% survival rates, respectively. In a caudal fin amputation test, the fin recovery of zebrafish was increased from 68.4% to 93% with 10% ACEW diet after 3-week regeneration. ACEW effectively down-regulated the gene expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10, and up-regulated the gene expression of IL-4/13A. Additionally, the supplement of ACEW in the feed can maintain and prevent the fish’s body weight from dropping too much under enteritis. Taken together, ACEW has beneficial potential in aquaculture.

Coenzyme Q0 From Antrodia cinnamomea Exhibits Drug-Resistant Bacteria Eradication and Keratinocyte Inflammation Mitigation to Ameliorate Infected Atopic Dermatitis in Mouse

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an inflammatory skin disease that is usually accompanied by Staphylococcus aureus infection due to cutaneous barrier-function damage. Benzenoid compounds from Antrodia cinnamomea are known to exhibit antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities. This study sought to investigate the potential of benzenoids for treating bacteria-infected AD. The compounds were screened against methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Coenzyme Q₀ (CoQ₀), a key ingredient in A. cinnamomea, showed the strongest MRSA growth inhibition. We further tested the inhibitory effect of CoQ₀ on planktonic and biofilm MRSA. The work was also performed to explore the potential effectiveness of CoQ₀ on AD using activated keratinocytes and in vivo experimental AD mice as the models. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of CoQ₀ against MRSA were 7.81 μg/ml. CoQ₀ was found to eradicate biofilm MRSA efficiently and reduce the biofilm thickness. CoQ₀ killed MRSA by inhibiting DNA polymerase and topoisomerases. A proteomic assay showed that CoQ₀ also reduced the ribosomal proteins. In the anti-inflammation study, CoQ₀ was found to downregulate the expression of interleukin (IL)-6, chemokine (C-C motif) ligand (CCL)5, and CCL17 in HaCaT cells. CoQ₀ at 0.5 μg/ml could recover the filaggrin decreased by HaCaT activation to the normal control. We established a bacteria-infected AD-like model in mice using ovalbumin (OVA) and topically applied MRSA. Topical CoQ₀ delivery lessened the MRSA presence in the AD-like lesions by >90%. The erythema, barrier function, and epidermal thickness of the AD-like wounds were improved by CoQ₀ through the reduction of IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, interferon (IFN)-γ, and by neutrophil infiltration in the lesional skin. CoQ₀ is therefore regarded as effective in mitigating AD symptoms associated with bacterial load.

Antrodia Cinnamomea Prolongs Survival in a Patient with Small Cell Lung Cancer

Introduction: Antrodia cinnamomea (AC) is an extremely rare medicinal fungus native to forested regions of Taiwan. It possesses numerous biological activities, especially anti-tumor effects shown in various in vitro cancer cells and in vivo animal models. However, there are few clinical reports about AC as a treatment for cancer patients. This report attempts to demonstrate the therapeutic effect of dish-cultured AC (DAC) on a small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patient taken orally for an extended duration. Patient concerns: An 88-year-old male with a history of diabetes mellitus and hypertension visited the outpatient department with the symptoms of dyspnea and a cough for two weeks. After a diagnosis of SCLC, the patient declined both chemotherapy and radiotherapy because of the side effects and only accepted supportive care without additional therapy. Diagnosis: Limited-stage SCLC (T4N2M1a, stage IV) after the chest radiograph, computed tomography-guided biopsy, and pathological diagnosis. Interventions: The patient was prescribed DAC with an increasing dosage, from 5 g/d up to 10 g/d DAC, for six months, without radiation or chemotherapy treatment. Outcomes: DAC caused the tumor to shrink substantially. Surprisingly, the patient survived for 32 months without relapse after six months of DAC treatment. Laboratory examinations indicated that the patient's health had improved significantly, reverting to near normal levels. Notably, he had a good quality of life with a high Barthel index score. Unfortunately, this patient died of septic shock caused by acute cholangitis. Conclusion: DAC may exert an anti-cancer effect, which can lead to tumor regression. This is supposed to be achieved by the combined DAC's immunomodulatory, anti-angiogenic, anti-metastatic, anti-proliferative, and pro-apoptotic effects mediated through multiple signaling pathways. We propose that DAC can be used as a complementary medicine to prolong the life expectancy and improve the life quality of SCLC patients.

Diversity of potentially exploitable pharmacological activities of the highly prized edible medicinal fungus Antrodia camphorata

Antrodia camphorata, also known as A. cinnamomea, is a precious medicinal basidiomycete fungus endemic to Taiwan. This article summarizes the recent advances in research on the multifarious pharmacological effects of A. camphorata. The mushroom exhibits anticancer activity toward a large variety of cancers including breast, cervical, ovarian, prostate, bladder, colorectal, pancreatic, liver, and lung cancers; melanoma; leukemia; lymphoma; neuroblastoma; and glioblastoma. Other activities encompass antiinflammatory, antiatopic dermatitis, anticachexia, immunoregulatory, antiobesity, antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, antiatherosclerotic, antihypertensive, antiplatelet, antioxidative, antiphotodamaging, hepatoprotective, renoprotective, neuroprotective, testis protecting, antiasthmatic, osteogenic, osteoprotective, antiviral, antibacterial, and wound healing activities. This review aims to provide a reference for further development and utilization of this highly prized mushroom.

In Vitro Effect of the Traditional Medicine Hainosan (Painongsan) on Porphyromonas gingivalis

Background: Hainosan (Painongsan) is a traditional Japanese and Chinese medicine that is used to treat several purulent diseases, including gingivitis and periodontitis. This formulation contains three crude drug components: The dried immature fruit of Citrus aurantium (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus), the dried root of Paeonia lactiflora (Paeoniae Radix), and the dried root of Platycodon grandiflorum (Platycodi Radix). Here we evaluated the in vitro antibacterial effects of hainosan extract (HNS) and extracts of its three components against Porphyromonas gingivalis, one of the pathogenic bacteria that causes periodontitis. Methods: The antibacterial activities of HNS and its components were examined by counting the number of colony-forming units (CFUs) and through transmission electron microscopy. Results: We found that HNS had direct antibacterial activity against three P. gingivalis isolates (JCM12257, JCM8525, and JCM19600), with HNS-treated cells being significantly smaller than those of untreated bacteria. Extracts of Platycodi Radix and Paeoniae Radix significantly suppressed the growth of P. gingivalis in a dose-dependent manner, with Platycodi Radix extract having the greatest antibacterial effect. In addition, P. gingivalis that were treated with Platycodi Radix extract were significantly larger than those treated with Aurantii Fructus Immaturus or Paeoniae Radix extracts. Further analysis showed that platycodin D, which is one of the ingredients of Platycodi Radix, reduced bacterial growth. Conclusions: Platycodi Radix is the active component in Hainosan and may represent a useful agent for the treatment of P. gingivalis-induced gingivitis and periodontitis.

Effects of Piper betle fractionated extracts on inhibition of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus intermedius

The overgrowth of certain strains of normal flora in oral cavity can cause many kinds of oral infections or diseases such as carries, periodontitis, and gingivitis. Prevention and treatment of these diseases are usually achieved by chemical antiseptics. However, these chemicals are found as negative impacts of human health hazards and accession of microbial resistance. The present study explores the potential of Piper betle extracts on inhibition of two oral pathogenic bacteria; Streptococcus mutans DMST 41283 and Streptococcus intermedius DMST 42700. P. betle demonstrated significantly higher inhibitory activity against both pathogenic strains than Acacia catechu, Camellia sinensis, Coccinia grandis, Solanum indicum, and Streblus asper. Among fractionated extracts of P. betle from several solvents, the extract from ethyl acetate (Pb-EtOAc) possessed the widest inhibition zone of 11.0 ± 0.1 and 11.3 ± 0.4 mm against both bacterial strains, respectively. Pb-EtOAc showed the same minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.5 mg/mL against both strains, whereas its minimum bactericidal concentrations were 2.0 and 0.5 mg/mL against S. mutans and S. intermedius, respectively. HPLC analysis demonstrated that the major active compound of Pb-EtOAc was 4-allylpyrocatechol. It was found that the killing kinetics of Pb-EtOAc against both test strains were time and dose dependent. Scanning electron microscopy micrographs showed the morphological changes and depletion of the tested pathogens indicating cell destruction after exposure to Pb-EtOAc. It is confirmed that Pb-EtOAc is potentially effective against both oral pathogens and might be used as natural alternative agents in prevention and treatment of oral infections caused by oral pathogenic bacteria.

Anti-oral common pathogenic bacterial active acetylenic acids from Thesium chinense Turcz

Discovery of agents for oral infectious diseases is always encouraged in natural products chemistry. A bioassay-guided isolation led to the isolation of two new acetylenic acids (1, 2) along with seven known ones (3-9) from the ethanol extract of Thesium chinense Turcz, a commonly used oral anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory herb. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic and chemical evidence. Exocarpic acid (3) demonstrated the most promising activity against three tested oral pathogenic bacterial strains, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Streptococcus mutans, with minimum inhibitory concentration values of 0.86, 3.43, and 13.70 μg/mL, respectively. Compounds 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7 also showed potential activities against periodontal bacteria (P. gingivalis, F. nucleatum).

Antiproliferative activity of the Antrodia camphorata secondary metabolite 4,7-dimethoxy-5-methylbenzo[d][1,3]dioxole and analogues

Both the traditional Chinese medicinal fungus, Antrodia camphorata, and its secondary metabolite, 4,7-dimethoxy-5-methylbenzo[d][1,3]dioxole, have been reported to possess promising anticancer activity. In this work the natural product and analogues bearing more polar substituents were synthesised and assessed for antiproliferative activity in the NCI-60 screen. Although each compound inhibited the growth of some cell lines at 10μM, none had sufficient activity to warrant further investigation.

Hepatoprotective Effect of Wheat-Based Solid-State Fermented Antrodia cinnamomea in Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Liver Injury in Rat

Antrodia cinnamomea (A. cinnamomea) is an indigenous medical fungus in Taiwan and has multiple biological functions, including hepatoprotective and immune-modulatory effects. Currently, the commercially available A. cinnamomea are mainly liquid- and solid-state fermented A. cinnamomea. However, the hepatoprotective effect of solid-state fermented A. cinnamomea has never been reported. Here we evaluate the ability of air-dried, ground and non-extracted wheat-based solid-state fermented A. cinnamomea (WFAC) to protect against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatic injury in vivo. The results showed that oral administration of WFAC dose dependently (180, 540 and 1080 mg/kg) ameliorated the increase in plasma aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels caused by chronic repeated CCl4 intoxication in rats. WFAC significantly reduced the CCl4-induced increase in hepatic lipid peroxidation levels and hydroxyproline contents, as well as reducing the spleen weight and water content of the liver. WFAC also restored the hepatic soluble protein synthesis and plasma albumin concentration in CCl4-intoxicated rats, but it did not affect the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, or glutathione peroxidase. In addition, a hepatic morphological analysis showed that the hepatic fibrosis and necrosis induced by CCl4 were significantly ameliorated by WFAC. Furthermore, the body weights of control rats and WFAC-administered rats were not significantly different, and no adverse effects were observed in WFAC-administered rats. These results indicate that WFAC is a nontoxic hepatoprotective agent against chronic CCl4-induced hepatic injury.

4,7-Dimethoxy-5-methyl-1,3-benzodioxole from Antrodia camphorata inhibits LPS-induced inflammation via suppression of NF-κB and induction HO-1 in RAW264.7 cells

Several benzenoid compounds have been isolated from Antrodia camphorata are known to have excellent anti-inflammatory activity. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory potential of 4,7-dimethoxy-5-methyl-1,3-benzodioxole (DMB), one of the major benzenoid compounds isolated from the mycelia of A. camphorata. DMB significantly decreased the LPS-induced production of pro-inflammatory molecules, such as nitric oxide (NO), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in RAW264.7 cells. In addition, DMB suppressed the protein levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in a dose dependent manner. Moreover, DMB significantly suppressed LPS-induced nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and this inhibition was found to be associated with decreases in the phosphorylation and degradation of its inhibitor, inhibitory κB-α (IκB-α). Moreover, we found that DMB markedly inhibited the protein expression level of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). Furthermore, treatment with DMB significantly increased hemoxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression in RAW264.7 cells, which is further confirmed by hemin, a HO-1 enhancer, significantly attenuated the LPS-induced pro-inflammatory molecules and iNOS and TLR4 protein levels. Taken together, the present study suggests that DMB may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.