Baccharis dracunculifolia-based mouthrinse alters the exopolysaccharide structure in cariogenic biofilms

• Exopolysaccharide is the main virulence factor of oral pathogenic biofilm.
• Baccharis dracunculifolia is a native plant from Brazil.
• Baccharis dracunculifolia promotes modifications of polysaccharide structure.

Baccharis dracunculifolia is a native plant from Brazil with antimicrobial activity. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a B. dracunculifolia-based mouthrinse (Bd) changes the structure of insoluble exopolysaccharides (IEPS) in Streptococcus mutans UA159 cariogenic biofilm. Biofilms were grown on glass slides and treated with Bd, its vehicle (VC), chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX), or saline solution (NaCl). Among the treatments, only CHX significantly reduced the biofilm biomass and bacterial viability (p < 0.05). Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses revealed that IEPS from the four biofilm samples were α- glucans containing different proportions of (1 → 6) and (1 → 3) glycosidic linkages. The structural differences among the four IEPS were compared by principal component analysis (PCA). PCA analysis indicated that IEPS from VC- and NaCl-treated biofilms were structurally similar to each other. Compared with the control, IEPS from Bd- and CHX-treated biofilms were structurally different and had distinct chemical profiles. In summary, the fact that Bd changed the IEPS chemical composition indicates that this mouthrinse may affect the cariogenic properties of the S. mutans biofilm formed.