In Vitro Studies of the Dental Caries Inhibiting Properties of Some Selected Nitrofuran Compounds

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Abstract
The presence of a nitro group in position 5 of the furan ring renders the resultant compounds bacteriocidal and bacteriostatic against a number of Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria. Clinical findings have demonstrated that some of the nitrofurans are effective as antibacterial agents in vivo as well as in vitro. In this study, 10 selected nitrofuran compounds were tested as inhibitors of dental caries activity in human saliva and as inhibitors of the growth and acid production of an oral strain of the Lactobacillus acidophilus in yeast-extract dextrose broth. The 10 compounds when added separately in 500 ug. quantities partially or completely prevented acid production in the saliva in vitro in 174 of the 176 caries active samples tested. The most efficient inhibitors of acid production in human saliva in vitro were 5-nitro-2-furaldehyde-2-B-hydroxyethyl semicarbazone and 5-nitro-2-furaldehyde-2-B-methyl semicarbazone. These 2 compounds together with 5-nitro-2-furaldehyde-(5[image]-B-hydroxyethyl)-semi-oxamazone, 5-nitro-2-furaldoxime and the semicarbazone of 2- (5 nitrofuryl)-B-piperidino-ethyl ketone hydrochloride, completely prevented the growth and acid production of the test organism for 72 hrs. in min. concns. of 3.5 to 4 gm. per 10 cc. of broth.
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