In Vitro and In Silico Evaluation of Melissa officinalis Terpenoids as Potential Antibacterial Agents Against Dental Caries Associated Bacteria

Karim, Gulbahar F.; Mohamed, Ali Hasan; Ibrahem, Emad; Darweesh, Omeed Omeed; Hasan, Sarah Ahmed

year 19, Issue 6 (November - December 2025) Iran J Med Microbiol 2025, 19(6): 440-455 | Back to browse issues page

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Karim G F, Mohamed A H, Ibrahem E, Darweesh O O, Hasan S A. In Vitro and In Silico Evaluation of Melissa officinalis Terpenoids as Potential Antibacterial Agents Against Dental Caries Associated Bacteria. Iran J Med Microbiol 2025; 19 (6) :440-455
URL: http://ijmm.ir/article-1-3030-en.html

In Vitro and In Silico Evaluation of Melissa officinalis Terpenoids as Potential Antibacterial Agents Against Dental Caries Associated Bacteria

Gulbahar F. Karim¹

, Ali Hasan Mohamed²

, Emad Ibrahem³

, Omeed Omeed Darweesh⁴

, Sarah Ahmed Hasan⁵

1- Basic Science Department, College of Nursing, University of Kirkuk, Kirkuk, Iraq , kulbharkarim@uokirkuk.edu.iq
2- Department of Medical Laboratory Analysis, College of Health Science, Cihan University, Sulaimanya, Iraq
3- Department of Medical Laboratory Analysis, College of Health Science, Cihan University, Sulaimanya, Iraq & Harem Private Hospital, Sulaimanya, Iraq
4- College of Pharmacy, Al-Kitab University, Kirkuk, Iraq
5- Basic Science Department, College of Nursing, University of Kirkuk, Kirkuk, Iraq

Abstract: (283 Views)

Background and Aim: The growing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant oral pathogens has increased interest in medicinal plants as alternative sources of antimicrobial agents. Melissa (M.) officinalis L. (lemon balm) is rich in bioactive phytochemicals, particularly terpenoids, known for their antimicrobial potential. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of M. officinalis extracts and isolated terpenoids against dental plaque–associated bacteria and to investigate their inhibitory mechanisms against penicillin-binding protein (PBP) and β-lactamase using in vitro and in silico approaches.
Materials and Methods: M. officinalis extracts and terpenoids were tested against Streptococcus viridans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. Antibacterial efficacy was assessed using inhibition zone assay, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), with amoxicillin as a reference drug. Molecular docking was conducted to analyze the binding interactions of ursolic acid and amoxicillin with consensus-modeled PBP and β-lactamase proteins.
Results: Both crude extracts and terpenoids exhibited strong antibacterial activity, producing large inhibition zones and low MIC and MBC values as compared to amoxicillin. S. viridans displayed greater resistance, with MIC and MBC values approximately twice those of other bacteria. Docking analysis demonstrated strong binding affinities and high specificity for terpenoids toward β-lactamase and PBP, forming stable protein–ligand complexes.
Conclusion: M. officinalis terpenoids represented promising natural inhibitors of PBP and β-lactamase and may serve as alternative antimicrobial agents for controlling dental plaque–associated infections.

Keywords: β-lactamase, Dental Caries, Melissa officinalis, PBP, Terpenoids

Full-Text [PDF 1785 kb] (41 Downloads)

Type of Study: Original Research Article | Subject: Medical Bacteriology
Received: 2025/11/16 | Accepted: 2025/12/25 | ePublished: 2025/12/29

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