Rachim.

Alkaloid Compound in Tobacco Leaf (Nicotiana tabacum) as Dental Cleanser

Alkaloid Compound in Tobacco Leaf (Nicotiana tabacum)

as Dental Cleanser
Savira Aulia Rachim
161610101086
Fakultas Kedokteran Gigi Universitas Jember
Jalan Kalimantan 37 Kampus Tegalboto, Jember Jawa Timur 68121
e-mail: saviraaulia10@gmail.com

Abstrak
If the denture is not cleaned up, it will cause the growth of fungi, bacteria especially
Streptococcus mutans and the formation of denture stomatitis. This can be prevented if
cleaning the denture regularly. How to clean a denture generally use a 0.05% sodium
hypochlorite chemical cleaning solution. However, the use of these chemicals can
whiten denture base and the price is also not affordable. Another alternative ingredient
for denture cleansing is tobacco leaf solution. Many studies said that tobacco leaves
have compounds - compounds that can kill bacteria and fungi in the oral cavity due to
artificial teeth such as alkaloid compounds.
Keywords: Denture, alkaloid, streptococcus mutans, denture stomatitis tobacco leaf.

Introduction
Today many people are found using denture, especially in elderly people. The material used
contains a lot of acrylic resin material because it has non-toxic, non-irritating, insoluble in oral fluid,
good aesthetics, easy manipulation and easy reparation (David, 2005). Acrylic resinic artificial teeth
always contact with saliva, beverages and food so that it can form tartar and plaque because the lack of
maintenance of denture hygiene. Plaque on artificial teeth can cause inflammation of the palatal
mucosa. When used denture is not in direct contact with the mucous membrane but is limited by
salivary particles. Saliva particles are mediators of biological responses that are able to adhere to
microorganisms. Salivary particles on the surface of artificial teeth will cause colonization and place of
growth of bacteria and fungi. Bacteria that play a major role is S. mutans. Growth will be the trigger
factor of denture stomatitis. Denture stomatitis is a pathological change in the mucosa of artificial tooth
support in the oral cavity (Rianti, 2003). Denture stomatitis can be prevented by maintaining and
cleansing denture (Rianti, 2003). The method of denture cleansing is generally carried out chemically
by immersion in a 0.05% sodium hypochlorite artificial tooth cleaning solution (Tafti et al., 2008). The
solution has antibacterial properties, but the chemicals may fade out the base of denture color (David

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Rachim. Alkaloid Compound in Tobacco Leaf (Nicotiana tabacum) as Dental Cleanser

and Munadziroh, 2005). To prevent this problem, we can used natural materials as an alternative
material. The selected alternative materials are tobacco leaves.

Theory
Tobacco is a plantation crop, but it is not a group of food crops. Tobacco plants are known to
contain several important compounds namely, nicotine alkaloids, flavonoids (phenols) and essential
oils (Machado et al., 2010). These compounds have antibacterial properties. Antibacterial can affect
cell wall synthesis, cell membrane integrity, protein synthesis, replication & repair of DNA and
transcription of bacterial cells (Juliantina, 2008).

Nicotine is an alkaloid substance that exists naturally in tobacco plants. Nicotine have beneficial
effect. Nicotine can inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus,
Porphyromonas Aeruginosa, and some other bacteria such as Streptococcus mutans. Alkaloids have the
ability as an antibacterial. The mechanism by interfere the peptidoglycan component of the bacterial
cell, so that cell wall layer is not fully formed and causes death in the cell (Juliantina, 2008).

The ability of alkaloids as an antibacterial compound is strongly influenced by the biological

activity of the compound. The biological activity of the alkaloid compound is due to the presence of a
nitrogen-containing base group. The presence of this base group in contact with the bacteria will react
with the amino acid compounds that make up the cell wall of bacteria and also the bacterial DNA that
is the main constituent of the cell nucleus which is the center of the regulation of all cell activities. This
reaction occurs because chemically an alkaline compound will react with the acid compound in this
case is an amino acid. This reaction results in changes in the structure of amino acids since most of the
amino acids have reacted with the basic groups of the alkaloid compounds. This amino acid sequence
change will alter the DNA chain arrangement in the cell nucleus that initially has an intermixed array
of acids and bases. Changes in the chain of amino acids in DNA will cause a change in the genetic
balance of the DNA acid so that bacterial DNA and nucleus will be damaged. This is because DNA is a
major component of the cell's nucleus. Nucleus of bacterial cells lysis will also cause cell damage to
bacteria because the cell nucleus is the center of cell activity. Damage to cells in these bacteria over
time will make the bacterial cells are not able to perform metabolism so it will also experience lysis.
Thus the bacteria will become inactive and destroyed (lysis) (Juliantina, 2008).

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Rachim. Alkaloid Compound in Tobacco Leaf (Nicotiana tabacum) as Dental Cleanser

Discussion
Denture stomatitis can be prevented by inhibiting the bacteria that triggering the formation of
plaque like S. mutans. It’s growth can be inhibited by using artificial dental cleansers containing
antibacterial agents. Based on the theory obtained, inhibiting the growth of S. mutans, tobacco leaf
concentration proven to kill S. mutans better than sodium hypochlorite. Sodium hypochlorite solution
has a negative effect that can fade out the base denture base color, while in the tobacco leaf is not.
Based on the observation Hendrijantini (2010) which says that the use of sodium hypoclorit in a
continuous period will cause a change of color on the soaked acrylic resin plate. The bleaching effect
will result from the release of chloride ions into the solution. Chloride ions are commonly used for
surface purification, bleaching, deodorizing and water disinfectants.

Based on Adhanti observation (2012), 50% leaf tobacco concentration is proven to kill S.
mutans much better than sodium hypoclorit. The chemical compounds present in tobacco leaf such as
alkanoid and flavonoid compounds that kill bacteria are more effective than the chemical solution.

Tobacco leaf is also easy to obtain especially in Jember which is the largest tobacco producing
region in Indonesia. So tobacco is easy to obtain and also easy to plant due to environmental factors
that support. But in the use of this tobacco leaf need to be explored so that later can be made a tooth
cleaning product from tobacco leaf. It also needs to be given insight to the public that tobacco has a
positive impact, not only negative impacts as a cigarette material alone.

Conclusion
Based on the theory obtained, it can be concluded that tobacco leaves (Nicotiana tabacum) can
inhibit the growth of Streptococcus mutans bacteria in artificial teeth because tobacco has antibacterial
alkaloid compounds.

References
Machado, P. A., Fu H., Kratochivl R. J., Yuan Y., Hahm T. S., Sabliov C. M., Wei C. I. andlo Y. M.
2010. Recovery of Solanesol from Tobacco as a Value Added yproduct for Alternative
Applications. J Bioresources Technology, 101: 1091 - 1096.
David dan Munadziroh, E. 2005. Perubahan Warna Lempeng Resin akrilik yang Direndam dalam
Larutan desinfektan Sodium Hipoklorit dan Klorhexidin. Maj Ked Gigi (Dent. J.), 38(1): 36 - 40.

Artikel Ilmiah Kajian Pustaka Mahasiswa 2017

Rachim. Alkaloid Compound in Tobacco Leaf (Nicotiana tabacum) as Dental Cleanser

Rianti, D. 2003. Daya Antimikroba Ekstrak Coleus amboinicus lour terhadap Candida albicans pada
Resin Akrilik. JBP, 5 (3): 113 - 117.
Tafti, A. F, Jafari, A. A, & Kamran, M. H. L. 2008. Comparison of the Effectiveness of Sodium
Hypochlorite and Dentamize Tablet for Denture Disinfection. World Journal of Medical Sciences,
3 (1): 10 - 14.
Juliantina., Farida R. Manfaat sirih (Piper crocatum) sebagai agen anti bakterial terhadap gram positif
dan gram negatif. JKKI – Jurnal Kedokteran dan Kesehatan Indonesia; 2009 No 1 (I).h.5 : 3-4
Hendrijantini, Nike. 2002. Sodium Hipoklorit dan Struktur Permukaan Resin Akrilik. Jurnal
Kedokteran Gigi; 136–9.
Adhanti, Rieza. 2012. Konsentrasi Ekstrak Daun Tembakau sebagai pembersih gigi tiruan. Skripsi
Universitas Jember : 57.

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