Anti-infective activity of simvastatin against Candida and selected periodontal pathogens - An in vitro study.

BACKGROUND

Statins, in addition to their hypolipidemic action, also show antibacterial and antifungal activity. The present research examines the antimicrobial activity of simvastatin (SMV) against periodontal microorganisms: Prevotella intermedia (Pi), Tannerella forsythia (Tf), Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn), and Candida tropicalis (Ct).

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

SMV was evaluated for minimum inhibitory concentration by microdilution and for antimicrobial susceptibility by agar disc diffusion. The antibiofilm effect of SMV was further compared with chlorhexidine (0.2%) (CHX) at 6 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h.

RESULTS

SMV inhibited all three periodontal bacteria at 0.8 μg/ml and inhibited Ct at a minimum concentration of 50 μg/mL. The mean diameter of the zone of inhibition by SMV for Pi, Fn, Tf, and Ct was 13 ± 0.81 mm, 13.33 ± 0.47 mm, 15.33 ± 0.47 mm, and 14 ± 0.81 mm, respectively. SMV showed a peak reduction in colony-forming unit (CFU) counts from baseline (223.42 ± 10.50 CFU/mm) to 6 h (157.25 ± 8.081 CFU/mm), which was subsequently sustained. Compared with SMV, CHX demonstrated a slower but more consistent reduction in CFU counts for up to 72 h.

CONCLUSION

The tested microorganisms were sensitive to SMV. In addition, SMV was as effective as the common antiplaque agent CHX at preventing these organisms and their proliferation in a biofilm environment during the testing periods. The study provides preliminary evidence of the antimicrobial effects of SMV, which warrants further exploration for its dual therapeutic benefits in periodontal applications.