ArticleArchives of microbiology2026
Geraniol attenuates Streptococcus mutans biofilm and virulence as an anti-caries agent.
Article in Archives of microbiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Streptococcus mutans-induced dental caries is largely mediated by robust biofilm formation, making it notoriously difficult to treat with conventional antimicrobials. To overcome the limited efficacy and penetration challenges associated with current conventional treatments, this study investigated the in vitro and in silico effects of geraniol on S. mutans biofilm and the expression of genes associated with biofilm formation. Antibacterial activity was evaluated using disk diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays. Membrane integrity, anti-biofilm activity, and structural alterations were assessed through intracellular protein and nucleic acid leakage analyses, biofilm eradication assays, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to analyze the expression of biofilm-associated genes. Molecular docking was performed to investigate interactions between geraniol and major S. mutans biofilm -related proteins. Geraniol exhibited marked antibacterial activity against S. mutans isolates, with inhibition zone diameters of 12.0 ± 0.0 mm and a MIC value of 107 µg/mL. Treatment induced significant leakage of intracellular proteins and nucleic acids, indicating disruption of membrane integrity. Exposure to 4×MIC markedly impaired mature biofilm architecture. SEM analysis confirmed severe morphological damage, including membrane disruption and cellular deformation. qRT-PCR analysis demonstrated significant downregulation of the biofilm-associated genes gtfB, gtfC, and gtfD following treatment with geraniol. Molecular docking further revealed stable interactions between geraniol and key biofilm regulatory proteins, including GtfB, GtfC, and GtfD. These findings highlight the ability of pure geraniol to dismantle both the structural integrity and genetic machinery of the bacteria, supporting its potential as a novel therapeutic candidate against biofilm-mediated oral infections.
Indexed as
Identifiers
42821064What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.