Abstract

MURDANNIA NUDIFLORA (L.) BRENAN AND MUCOADHESIVE HYDROGEL-BASED DELIVERY FOR ORAL ANTIMICROBIAL APPLICATIONS: A NARRATIVE REVIEW

N. S. Keerthana Devi, S. Devilal*

ABSTRACT

Murdannia nudiflora (L.) Brenan is a medicinal plant belonging to the family Commelinaceae. Traditional and scientific studies have reported several phytochemical groups in this plant, including flavonoids, tannins, saponins and alkaloids. These constituents may contribute to different biological activities reported for the plant. Staphylococcus aureus is an important Gram-positive bacterium that can colonize the oral cavity. Although it may be present without causing disease, it can contribute to oral and other infections under suitable conditions. The presence of resistant strains, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), can make treatment more difficult. Conventional oral preparations may have a short residence time because saliva, swallowing and tongue movements can remove the formulation from the application site. Mucoadhesive hydrogels can overcome this limitation byadhering to the mucosal surface and maintaining the formulation at the site for a longer period. Carbopol 940 is one of the polymers commonly used to prepare hydrogel formulations because it can provide suitable gel structure and viscosity. This review discusses the botanical and phytochemical characteristics of M. nudiflora, the importance of S. aureus in oral health, and the use of mucoadhesive hydrogels for local oral drug delivery. The available evidence suggests that M. nudiflora has potential for antimicrobial research. However, direct published evidence for a M. nudiflora-infused mucoadhesive oral hydrogel specifically developed against S. aureus remains limited. Further formulation, antibacterial, safety, stability and in-vivo studies are required.

Keywords: Murdannia nudiflora; Staphylococcus aureus; oral infection; herbal hydrogel; Carbopol 940; mucoadhesion; antimicrobial activity.