Assessment of Oral Microbial Viability by 2,6-Dichlorophenolindophenol a Redox Agent

<b>Background/Objectives:</b> This investigation evaluated 2,6-Dichlorophenolindophenol (DCIP), a redox dye, as a colorimetric reagent for rapid quantification of oral bacteria and examined the antimicrobial effects of oral hygiene formulations. <b>Methods/Results:</b> Viable...

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Main Authors: Prem K. Sreenivasan, Violet I. Haraszthy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Antibiotics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/6/590
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author Prem K. Sreenivasan
Violet I. Haraszthy
author_facet Prem K. Sreenivasan
Violet I. Haraszthy
author_sort Prem K. Sreenivasan
collection DOAJ
description <b>Background/Objectives:</b> This investigation evaluated 2,6-Dichlorophenolindophenol (DCIP), a redox dye, as a colorimetric reagent for rapid quantification of oral bacteria and examined the antimicrobial effects of oral hygiene formulations. <b>Methods/Results:</b> Viable microbial cells reduce DCIP, resulting in a loss of its blue color which can be measured spectrophotometrically. Strains of <i>Actinomyces viscosus</i>, <i>Veillonella atypica</i>, <i>Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans</i>, <i>Streptococcus mutans</i> and <i>Candida albicans</i> grown in the laboratory reduced DCIP. Significant correlations between increasing viable plate counts and DCIP reduction were noted for strains of oral organisms. Intact microbial cells reduced DCIP, with insignificant reductions observed by spent microbial media or bacteria free culture media. Organisms inactivated by either heat or cold demonstrated significantly lower DCIP reduction in comparison to metabolically intact organisms grown under optimal conditions. <b>Conclusions:</b> DCIP reduction provided a rapid and accurate method to evaluate antimicrobial effects of clinical proven mouthwashes formulated with cetylpyridinium chloride or chlorhexidine and toothpastes for a range of oral bacteria. Together, these results identify a rapid, low-cost method using common laboratory equipment to enumerate oral organisms with a visual outcome.
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spelling doaj-art-e4807ce543a9471aabfd035c5e77cbb72025-08-20T02:24:25ZengMDPI AGAntibiotics2079-63822025-06-0114659010.3390/antibiotics14060590Assessment of Oral Microbial Viability by 2,6-Dichlorophenolindophenol a Redox AgentPrem K. Sreenivasan0Violet I. Haraszthy1HITLAB, 3960 Broadway, New York, NY 10032, USADepartment of Restorative Dentistry, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA<b>Background/Objectives:</b> This investigation evaluated 2,6-Dichlorophenolindophenol (DCIP), a redox dye, as a colorimetric reagent for rapid quantification of oral bacteria and examined the antimicrobial effects of oral hygiene formulations. <b>Methods/Results:</b> Viable microbial cells reduce DCIP, resulting in a loss of its blue color which can be measured spectrophotometrically. Strains of <i>Actinomyces viscosus</i>, <i>Veillonella atypica</i>, <i>Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans</i>, <i>Streptococcus mutans</i> and <i>Candida albicans</i> grown in the laboratory reduced DCIP. Significant correlations between increasing viable plate counts and DCIP reduction were noted for strains of oral organisms. Intact microbial cells reduced DCIP, with insignificant reductions observed by spent microbial media or bacteria free culture media. Organisms inactivated by either heat or cold demonstrated significantly lower DCIP reduction in comparison to metabolically intact organisms grown under optimal conditions. <b>Conclusions:</b> DCIP reduction provided a rapid and accurate method to evaluate antimicrobial effects of clinical proven mouthwashes formulated with cetylpyridinium chloride or chlorhexidine and toothpastes for a range of oral bacteria. Together, these results identify a rapid, low-cost method using common laboratory equipment to enumerate oral organisms with a visual outcome.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/6/590antibioticsbacteriacetylpyridinium chloridechlorhexidinecultureDCIP
spellingShingle Prem K. Sreenivasan
Violet I. Haraszthy
Assessment of Oral Microbial Viability by 2,6-Dichlorophenolindophenol a Redox Agent
Antibiotics
antibiotics
bacteria
cetylpyridinium chloride
chlorhexidine
culture
DCIP
title Assessment of Oral Microbial Viability by 2,6-Dichlorophenolindophenol a Redox Agent
title_full Assessment of Oral Microbial Viability by 2,6-Dichlorophenolindophenol a Redox Agent
title_fullStr Assessment of Oral Microbial Viability by 2,6-Dichlorophenolindophenol a Redox Agent
title_full_unstemmed Assessment of Oral Microbial Viability by 2,6-Dichlorophenolindophenol a Redox Agent
title_short Assessment of Oral Microbial Viability by 2,6-Dichlorophenolindophenol a Redox Agent
title_sort assessment of oral microbial viability by 2 6 dichlorophenolindophenol a redox agent
topic antibiotics
bacteria
cetylpyridinium chloride
chlorhexidine
culture
DCIP
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/6/590
work_keys_str_mv AT premksreenivasan assessmentoforalmicrobialviabilityby26dichlorophenolindophenolaredoxagent
AT violetiharaszthy assessmentoforalmicrobialviabilityby26dichlorophenolindophenolaredoxagent