COMPARATIVE STUDY OF GREEN TEA POLYPHENOL AND FLUORIDE ON STREPTOCOCCUS MUTANS

摘要

Objective To disclose the mechanism of green tea polyphenol in the prevention of dental caries.Methods Using sodium fluoride (highly effective anticaries agent) as control and Streptococcus mutans (carigenous microbe) as target, green tea polyphenol (potential bacterial inhibitor) was used to testify its action on the change of microbial morphology, extramicrobial sucrase, glucosyltransferase (GTF), lactate hydrogenase (LDH),protein and pH values of the culture media. Results GTF activities were inhibited both by green tea polyphenol and sodium fluoride, the inhibitory efficacy was stronger in green tea polyphenol. Morphologic changes consisted of membrane disruption in tea polyphenol treated microbes, and cytoplasmic vacuolization in fluoride treated bacteria.High protein level in fluoride treated culture media means cytoplasmic decomposition, intracellular protein leakage into media. Conclusion The inhibition of GTF activity was stronger in green tea polyphenol treated microbes.The target of action was cell membrane disruption in green tea polyphenol treated cell and cytoplasmic in fluoride treated microbes.