In a revolutionary finding, researchers in Brazil have discovered that morin could offer a barrier against periodontal disease. The plant-derived substance found in fig and apple peels, guava leaves, certain teas and almonds was found to show anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial effects when tested against bacteria.
Laboratory tests by a team at São Paulo State University assessed the effects of morin on certain multi-species bacterial biofilms that replicate the bacterial communities found in diseased gums, in order to mimic its potential real-world effects.
As published by Dentistry, the study author Luciana Solera Sales explained: “We started developing these systems in the form of tablets, films, and microparticles. But until then, they were too large and unfeasible for oral use. In my PhD, we tried to improve these products by making them smaller.”
Delivering morin effectively in the mouth meant that the scientists had to develop a powder form through drying techniques. This morin powder is encapsulated within certain polymers including sodium alginate and gellan gum to encourage controlled-release.
Sales continued to explain that “[this] is already widely used for drugs but isn’t yet widely used in dentistry.”
One of the goals is that this advancement could be hugely impactful for the oral hygiene product market.
Despite morin’s natural presence in various foods, the research indicates that eating them isn’t sufficient in gaining such protective effects. Therefore, the compound must first be processed into a form that can remain in the mouth long enough to act – hence the encapsulated format for slow-release.
The study was published in Archives of Oral Biology, and was part of doctoral work by Luciana Solera Sales under the supervision of Fernanda Lourenção Brighenti.
With success, morin-based products could be the future of oral health, offering a substitute or addition to antibiotics for periodontal treatment.
> Since you’re here, why not read about how following a Mediterranean diet could reduce gingivitis?
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