Assessment of antimicrobial action of Papacarie™ against Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitan

Background:    Papacarie™ is a gel based on a combination of papain and chloramine, with proven antimicrobial properties. The aim of the present study was to assess the action of Papacarie™ in a culture of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans.
    Material/Methods:    The diffusion method was performed with 100 µL of the bacterial inoculate (Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans) in TSA agar and 3% yeast extract. Twelve Petri dishes were divided into 2 groups. The control group (CG) consisted of 3 Petri dishes with bacterial inoculate alone. The study group (SG) was divided into 3 subgroups, to which 4 previously sterilized paper disks (6 mm in diameter) were added: SG 1 (powder and liquid), SG 2 (liquid) and SG 3 (diluted gel). After 72 hours of incubation, the dishes were analyzed under a stereomicroscope for the morphological characterization of the colonies and reading of growth inhibition halos in the dishes of the SG.
    Results:    The bacteria were identified as Gram-negative coccobacilli. The dishes in the CG exhibited homogeneous bacterial growth over the entire surface of the agar. In the SG, none of the dishes in the subgroups exhibited a growth inhibition halo around the paper disks soaked in the respective samples tested.
    Conclusions:    No antimicrobial action was demonstrated for the samples tested. Thus, Papacarie™ did not affect the growth of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans.

Keywords: Papain, aggressive periodontitis, Microbiology