Lauric acid is cytotoxic and antimicrobial against oral pathogens

Abstract

Lauric acid is an omega-9 fatty acid found in coconut oil. It has antibacterial properties and kills cancer cells. It kills bacteria without damaging human cells. This makes lauric acid a good additive for making skin creams. In this present study, lauric acid was prepared, characterized using FT-IR and tested for its antimicrobial activity against five oral pathogens. The antimicrobial results showed that there is a dose-dependent increase in the zone of inhibition. Among five oral pathogens, S.mutans, S. aureus, Lactobacillus showed higher sensitivity to lauric acid. The biocompatibility was checked by Brine shrimp lethality assay, in which even at higher concentration such as 25µL showed less toxicity. Both the study results revealed lauric acid to be a less toxic potent antimicrobial agent.