Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences1028-88801812-5735Asian Network for Scientific Information10.3923/pjbs.2006.1470.1475Piper betle L. Leaf Extract on the Virulence Activity of Streptococcus mutans-An in vitro Study]]>NalinaT. RahimZ.H. A.8200698In this study the effect of crude aqueous extract of the leaves of Piper betle L. on the virulence properties of Streptococcus mutans ATCC 25175 was investigated. It was carried out based on the effect of the extract towards growth, cell surface hydrophobicity, adhering property and glucosyltransferase activity of the S. mutans. The concentration of crude aqueous extract of Piper betle L. used in the experiments above was between 0 to 20 mg mL-1. Chlorhexidine (0.12%) and sterile deionised water was used as positive and blank control, respectively. The results obtained showed that the crude extract at a concentration as low as 2.5 mg mL-1 exhibited reduced effect towards the growth (p<0.01), adhering ability (p<0.01), glucosyltransferase activity (p<0.05) and cell surface hydrophobicity (p<0.05) of S. mutans when compared with the blank control. This implies that the Piper betle L. extract may have anti-virulence property towards S. mutans.]]>Bowen, W.H.,200213126231Doyle, R.J., M. Rosenberg and D. Drake,1990pp: 387pp: 387DuBois, M., K.A. Gilles, J.K. Hamilton, P.A. Rebers and F. Smith,195628350356Frostell, G., P.H. Keyes and R.H. Larson,1967936576Fukushima, K., R. Motoda, K. Takada and T. Ikeda,1981Streptococcus mutans glucosyltransferase into two components essential to water-insoluble glucan synthesis.]]>128213216Gibbons, R.J. and J. van Houte,197526121136Hamada, S. and H.D. Slade,1980Streptococcus mutans.]]>44331384Hamilton-Miller, J.M.T.,2001Camellia sinensis).]]>50299302Koo, M.H. and Y.K. Park,199761367369Loesche, W.J.,1986Streptococcus mutans in human dental decay.]]>50353380Marsh, P.D.,19948263271Marsh, P.D. and D.J. Bradshaw,199515169175Matsumoto, M., T. Minami, H. Sasaki, S. Sobue, S. Hamada and T. Ooshima,1999Streptococci.]]>33441445McBride, B.C., M. Song, B. Krasse and J. Olsson,1984Streptococcus mutans.]]>446875Mukasa, H. and H.D. Slade,1973Streptococcus mutans to smooth surfaces. I. Roles of insoluble dextran-levan synthetase enzymes and cell wall polysaccharide antigen in plaque formation.]]>8556562Nakahara, K., S. Kawabata, H. Ono, K. Ogura, T. Tanaka, T. Ooshima and S. Hamada,1993Streptococci.]]>59968973Nostro, A., M.A. Cannatelli, A.D. Crisafi, A.D. Musolino, F. Procopio and V. Alonzo,2004in vitro adherence and cellular aggregation of Streptococcus mutans by Helichrysum italicum extract.]]>38423427Ong, H.C. and M. Nordiana,199970502513Ooshima, T., Y. Osaka, H. Sasaki, K. Osawa and H. Yasuda et al.,2000in vitro and animal experiments.]]>45639645Razak, F.A. and Z.H. Rahim,2003Piper betle and Psidium guajava extracts on the adhesion of early settlers in dental plaque to saliva-coated glass surfaces.]]>45201206Rosenberg, M., D. Gutnick and E. Rosenberg,198092933Satou, N., J. Satou, H. Shintani and K. Okuda,1988Streptococci to surface-modified glass.]]>13412991305Slade, H.D.,1976In vitro Models for the Study of Adherence of Oral Streptococci.]]>1976pp: 21-38pp: 21-38Weiss, E., M. Rosenberg, H. Judes and E. Rosenberg,19827125128Westergren, G. and J. Olsson,1983Streptococci after repeated sub culture in vitro.]]>40432435Ponglux, D., S. Wong, T. Phadungcharoen, N. Ruangrungsri and K. Likhitwitayawuid,19871st Edn.,