치면세균막내의 미생물 중 Streptococcus mutans $N_{AKAI}$는 치면세균막형성에 가장 중요한 역할을 하는 원인균으로 알려져 있으며, Streptococcus mutans $N_{AKAI}$는 치아우식을 일으키는 주요 원인균으로 주목을 받고 있다. Streptococcus mutans $N_{AKAI}$균에 항균효과를 나타내는 화합물 acanthoic acid (AA, $C_{20}H_{30}O_2$)을 Acanthopanax koreanum $N_{AKAI}$의 클로로포롬 추출물에서 각종 컬럼크로마토그래피법으로 추출분리하여 ms, 1H-NMR 그리고 13C-NMR 등을 이용하여 구조를 동정하였다. AA의 Streptococcus mutans $N_{AKAI}$에 대한 최소억제농도(MIC)와 최소살균농도(MBC)를 조사하였으며, 이 때 각각 2와 $4:{mu}g/mL$을 나타냈었다. 또한 다른 천연물에서 분리된 화합물인 tanshinone IIA는 8/16;${mu}g/mL$, 녹차의 추출물과 eucalyptoi은 $250/500;{mu}g/mL$이었다. 그리고 또 다른 치주질환의 원균인 Streptococcus sobrinus $N_{AKAI}$, Streptococcus sanguis $N_{AKAI}$ 및 Streptococcus gordonii $N_{AKAI}$의 최소억제 농도의 범위는 $4{sim}32;{mu}g/mL$이었다. 우리의 연구결과에서 Acanthopanax koreanum $N_{AKAI}$에서 분리한 acanthoic acid 치주질환 원인균들을 억제하는 항균제로의 가능성을 확인하였다.
This research was aimed to search for natural antimicrobial agents that are sefe for humans and specific for oral pathogens. Acanthoic was isolated from the chloroform fraction of methanol extract of Acanthopanax koreanum $N_{AKAI}$ and its structure were elucidated by 13-NMR, 1H-NNR and ESIMS. Antibacterial activity of acanthoic acid was investigated by the minimum inhibitory (MIC) and minimun bactericidal (MBC) concentration. MIC/MBC of acanthoic acid against Streptococcus mutans $N_{AKAI}$ causing dental caries was determined to be $2/4;{mu}g/mL$, which was much lower than these of other natural antimicrobial agents such as $8/16;{mu}g/mL$ of sangurinarine and $250/500;{mu}/mL$ of green tea extract, $500/600;{mu}g/mL$ of thymol and borneol. Acanthoic and significantly inhibited the growth of other cariogenic bacteria such as Streptococcus sobrinus $N_{AKAI}$ and Streptococcus sanguis $N_{AKAI}$, and Streptococcus gordonii $N_{AKAI}$ in the MIC range of $4{sim}32;{mu}g/mL$. My finding suggests that acanthoic acid could be employed as a potential antibacterial agent for preventing dental caries.
