Journal of Epidemiology and Public Health
ISSN: 3065-9078 | DOI: 10.64030/3065-9078
Helmi M. A. Khatib
Background Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by the progressive destruction of periodontal tissues, significantly impacting oral and systemic health. Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) plays a key role in disease pathogenesis due to its interactions with other periodontal pathogens. Lactoferrin (LF), a multifunctional glycoprotein, has demonstrated antimicrobial and antiinflammatory properties, but its effects in combination with antibiotics against Fn are not fully understood.
Objective To evaluate the antibacterial activity of bovine lactoferrin (bLF), in combination with low concentrations of penicillinstreptomycin, against F. nucleatum, and to assess its potential as an adjunctive therapeutic strategy in periodontitis.
Methods Bovine lactoferrin (bLF) was prepared at a concentration of 20 mg/mL in sterile distilled water. The dual antibiotic solution (penicillin–streptomycin) was adjusted to a final concentration of 0.604 μg/mL. For the combination treatment, 10 μL of the antibiotic solution was added to 1 mL of the bLF solution, yielding a final antibiotic concentration of approximately 0.003 μg/mL. This combination, along with antibiotic-only and control groups, was tested in vitro against Fusobacterium nucleatum (ATCC 25586) cultured under anaerobic conditions at 37 °C. Bacterial growth was assessed by optical density (OD�??�??�??) measurements and colony-forming unit (CFU) enumeration. Controls included bacteria without lactoferrin or antibiotics.
Results Lactoferrin significantly inhibited bacterial growth in a dose-dependent manner. Low-concentration antibiotics alone had negligible antibacterial effects, with bacterial growth comparable to controls (p > 0.05). The combination of lactoferrin with antibiotics enhanced bacterial inhibition, indicating a synergistic effect.
Conclusions Bovine lactoferrin, particularly in combination with sub-therapeutic antibiotic concentrations, shows promising antibacterial activity against F. nucleatum, suggesting its potential as an adjunctive agent in periodontitis management. These findings warrant further in vivo studies to confirm efficacy and explore clinical applications.