Antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of Chinese propolis essential oil microemulsion against Streptococcus mutans.

This article focuses on the preparation and evaluation of propolis essential oil microemulsion (PEOME) to address the poor solubility and volatility of propolis essential oil and its antibacterial and antibiofilm effects against Streptococcus mutans, a primary pathogen in dental caries. PEOME demonstrated significant antibacterial activity, with an inhibition zone diameter of 31 mm and a minimal inhibitory concentration of 2.5 μL/mL, effectively preventing biofilm formation and disrupting mature biofilms by damaging bacterial cell membranes and reducing extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) production through inhibition of glucosyltransferase (GTF) activity. The study suggests that PEOME’s enhanced stability and solubility make it a promising candidate for developing drugs to prevent and treat dental caries caused by S. mutans, although further research on polymicrobial biofilms is needed.