The effect of an antimicrobial peptide preparation on the microbiome of periodontal pockets in patients with generalised periodontitis

Abstract

Treatment of generalised periodontitis using traditional methods is not always sufficiently effective. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) can be an alternative, as virtually all of them have bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effects and block the inflammatory action of bacterial toxins. The well-known biologically active supplement (BAS) Arecure contains two AMPs in its active lyophilisate. The dietary supplement has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, regenerative and antitumour effects. The aim of the study was to evaluate the possibility of using the biologically active supplement
with AMPs Arecure in the treatment of periodontopathogenic bacteria in patients with generalised periodontitis after traditional treatment.
Materials and methods. Diagnosis and treatment were performed on 66 patients: in group 1, 22 patients diagnosed with ‘generalised periodontitis, stage II, chronic course’ underwent traditional local treatment; in group 2, 24 patients with the same diagnosis underwent the same local treatment, but after that, they additionally used Arekur. Group 3 was a comparison group of 20 healthy people. Arekur was taken after the end of the course of local treatment, 1 capsule 2 times a day for 30 days. Results and discussion. Of the 198 isolates of clinical material, 178 (89.9%) produced culture growth. Quantitative microbiological monitoring of the group of 7 main periodontogenic bacteria was carried out: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Prevotella intermedia, Porphyromonas endodontalis, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola. The microbiome of patients before treatment, in terms of CFU, significantly exceeded the corresponding indicator in conditionally healthy volunteers. Traditional treatment contributed to a significant reduction in the CFU of periodontal pathogens, although it did not reach the level in conditionally healthy volunteers. The additional use of Arekur provided a reduction in the CFU of 7 periodontal pathogens to the level characteristic of conditionally healthy volunteers. Conclusion. The use of Arekur in the treatment of representative periodontal pathogens in patients with generalised periodontitis after traditional treatment provides significant normalisation of the periodontal pocket microbiome.