en Dentistry Dentistry Original Research Original Research <span style="font-size:13pt"><span style="text-justify:kashida"><span style="text-kashida:0%"><span style="text-autospace:none"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="font-style:italic"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">Background: </span></span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">Oral health is part of general health. Dental caries is the most common chronic disease worldwide. Considering the significance of plaque control, complications of chemical agents, and the optimal antimicrobial efficacy of nanoparticles, this study aimed to assess the antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized by the green method using </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">Rhus coriaria L</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">. extract against oral pathogenic microorganisms. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:13pt"><span style="text-justify:kashida"><span style="text-kashida:0%"><span style="text-autospace:none"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="font-style:italic"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">&nbsp;&nbsp; <b>Methods:</b> In this in vitro experimental study, Rhus coriaria fruit was dried at room temperature. It was then ground, and its aqueous extract was obtained by the maceration technique. The effects of AgNPs synthesized by the green method in different concentrations were evaluated against </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">Enterococcus faecalis</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal"> (</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">E. faecalis</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">), </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">Streptococcus mutans</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal"> (</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">S. mutans</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">), </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">Streptococcus sobrinus</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal"> (</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">S. sobrinus</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">), </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">Lactobacillus acidophilus</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal"> (</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">L. acidophilus</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">), and </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">Streptococcus salivarius</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal"> (</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">S. salivarius</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">) using the well-plate technique. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values were also calculated. Data were analyzed by the Wilcoxon test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Mann-Whitney test.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:13pt"><span style="text-justify:kashida"><span style="text-kashida:0%"><span style="text-autospace:none"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="font-style:italic"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">&nbsp;&nbsp; Results:</span></span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal"> The MIC values were 1024 &micro;g/mL for </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">S. mutans</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal"> and </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">E. faecalis</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">, and 512 &micro;g/mL for </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">S. sobrinus</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">, </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">S. salivarius</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">, and </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">L. acidophilus</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">. The resistance of </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">S. mutans</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal"> and </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">E. faecalis</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal"> was higher than that of </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">S. sobrinus</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">, </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">S. salivarius</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal"> and </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">L. acidophilus</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">. According to the growth inhibition zones and MBC test results, S. salivarius had the highest resistance to AgNPs followed by </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">L. acidophilus</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">, </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">S. sobrinus</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">, </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">S. mutans</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">, and </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">E. faecalis</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:13pt"><span style="text-justify:kashida"><span style="text-kashida:0%"><span style="text-autospace:none"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="font-style:italic"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">&nbsp;&nbsp; <b>Conclusion:</b> AgNPs synthesized by the green method using </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">Rhus coriaria</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal"> extract was effective against oral pathogenic microorganisms. Thus, they may be used in the formulation of mouthwash and toothpaste. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> &nbsp; Anti-infective agents, Nanoparticles, Bacteria, Plant extracts 1174 1181 http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-5079-5&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Bahareh Nazemi Salman baharehnazemi@yahoo.com 200319475328460077782 200319475328460077782 No Department of Pediatrics, School of Dentistry, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran Mahtab Mohammadi Gheidari Mahtabmohammadi1374@gmail.com 200319475328460077783 200319475328460077783 No School of Dentistry, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran Alireza Yazdi nejad Yazd1387@gmail.com 200319475328460077784 200319475328460077784 No Department of Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran Habib Zeighami HZeigam@yahoo.com 200319475328460077785 200319475328460077785 No Department of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran Ali Mohammadi alimohammadi.b2020@gmail.com 200319475328460077786 200319475328460077786 No Department of Pharmacognosy and Traditional Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran Samira Basir Shabestari shabestari.s@iums.ac.ir 200319475328460077787 200319475328460077787 Yes Department of Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, Firoozgar Clinical Research Development Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran