natural products derived from medicinal plants such as
neem, tulsi, amla, dhatura, nimbu etc. have proven to be
abundant source of biologically active compounds,
many of which have become the basis for the
d e v e l o p m e n t o f n e w l e a d c h e m i c a l s f o r
pharmaceuticals. With respect to diseases caused by
microorganisms, the increasing resistance in many
common pathogens to currently used therapeutic
agents, such as antibiotics and antiviral agents, has led
to renewed interest in the discovery of novel antiinfective
compounds. As there are approximately 500
000 plant species occurring worldwide, of which only
1% has been phytochemically investigated, there is
great potential for discovering novel bioactive
compounds from these sources. Therefore, the purpose
of this review is to present some recent examples of
traditional medicinal plant extracts or phytochemicals
that have been shown to inhibit the growth of oral
pathogens, reduce the development of dental plaque,
and reduce the symptoms of oral diseases