Carbohydrate Derived Fulvic Acid is a Novel Oral Hygiene Product

Fulvic acid is a heat stable low molecular weight, water soluble, cationic colloidal material with proposed therapeutic properties. These colloidal properties render it susceptible to contamination, so bioreactor production from plant material has enabled a stable carbohydrate form of Fulvic Acid CHD-FA. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity and mechanism of CHD-FA against a range of oral pathogens associated with caries, periodontal disease, endodontic infection and soft tissue infections. The immunomodulatory properties of the compound were also evaluated. Methods: Planktonic and sessile testing of a panel of oral pathogens was performed, with a focus on Candida albicans. The mechanism of action was explored using cell wall inhibitors with membrane disruption being determined using propidium iodide (PI) and observing ATP leakage. We evaluated the toxicity of the molecule in an oral epithelial cell line and explored the immunomodulatory effects using TLDA and ELISA technologies. Results: CHD-FA (0.5% v/v) was effective against the entire panel of planktonic and sessile Gram positive, Gram negative bacteria and yeasts, and it was shown to exhibit cidal activity. The yeast cell wall did not appear to be impacted by the molecule. PI studies showed that the membrane was destabilised with ATP being released in a time dependant manner. Buffered CHD-FA was non-toxic to oral epithelial cells and was shown to down-regulate a panel of pro-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines in zymosan stimulated cells. ELISA data confirmed this at the protein level. Conclusions: This study has shown that the natural antimicrobial CHD-FA is non-toxic and has cidal activity against a range of microbes associated with a variety of oral diseases, and that the mechanism of action is membrane destabilisation. In addition, data suggest that it can immunomodulate. Therefore, this product may serve as a useful product for controlling oral disease.