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Cranberry high molecular weight constituents promote Streptococcus sobrinus desorption from artificial biofilm.

Steinberg D, Feldman M, Ofek I, Weiss EI

Institute of Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Hebrew University--Hadassah, P.O. Box 12272, Jerusalem 91120, Israel. dorons@cc.huji.ac.il

Dental biofilm harbouring oral bacteria is highly correlated with the progression of dental diseases. Disruption of biofilm formation via anti-adhesion agents is an alternative means to the antibacterial approach. Previous studies have shown that high molecular weight non-dialysable material (NDM) derived from cranberry juice inhibits the adhesion of Escherichia coli and the coaggregation of a variety of oral bacteria. In addition, it inhibits the formation of glucans and fructans synthesised by GTF and FTF. In the present study, we examined the anti-adhesion effect of NDM on S. sobrinus. NDM promoted desorption of S. sobrinus from biofilm in the presence and absence of extracellular glucans and fructans, although the effect was more pronounced in the absence of these polysaccharides. Precoating of the bacteria with NDM reduced their ability to form biofilm. Our results indicate that NDM could be exploited as an anti-biofilm agent.

Published 1 March 2005 in Int J Antimicrob Agents, 25(3): 247-51.
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