Razzagh Mahmoudi

By Razzagh Mahmoudi, Sara Moosazad and Katayoon Aghaei

One of the most prevalent and important health problems in the world is periodontal and plaque-related diseases that antibiotic drugs are used with their side effects as their treatment. With increasing resistance to antibiotics and a desire from the general public for “natural” therapies, there is a need to minimize antibiotic use and develop new treatments for oral diseases without antimicrobial agents. Probiotics are viable microorganisms which provide a health benefit to the host when administered in adequate amounts; studies show that probiotics have the potential to modify the oral microbiota and decrease the colony-forming unit (CFU) counts of the oral pathogens being investigated to prevent or treat oral disease, such as dental caries and the periodontal diseases. In addition, the identification of specific strains with probiotic activity is required for any oral infectious disease, in order to determine the exact dose, the time of treatment, and the ideal vehicle.

Part of the book: Oral Health by Using Probiotic Products

By Razzagh Mahmoudi, Sara Moosazad and Katayoon Aghaei

Part of the book: Oral Health by Using Probiotic Products

By Razzagh Mahmoudi, Ata Kaboudari and Babak Pakbin

In the last few years, more and more studies on the biological properties of essential oils (EOs) especially antimicrobial and antioxidant properties in vitro and food model have been published in all parts of the world. But so far no comprehensive reports of these studies have been reported in food model from Iran. The focus of this overview lies in the using of EOs from some indigenous medicinal plants of Iran (including Mentha longifolia, Cuminum cyminum, Teucrium polium, Pimpinella anisum and Allium ascalonicum) in probiotic dairy products (especially cheese, yoghurt and Aryan) in recent years. Recently, consumers have developed an ever-increasing interest in natural products as alternatives for artificial additives or pharmacologically relevant agents. Among them, EOs have gained great popularity in the food, cosmetic as well as pharmaceutical industries. Despite the reportedly strong antimicrobial activity of EOs against food-borne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms, their practical application as preservatives is currently limited owing to the undesirable flavour changes they cause in food products. Nonetheless, more studies are necessary to the applicability of various EOs on other food models in Iran and other countries.

Part of the book: Essential Oils