{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,3]],"date-time":"2026-10-03T02:28:24Z","timestamp":1790994504474,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,17]],"date-time":"2026-04-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1776384000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Emile Beaulieu Foundation of Laval\nUniversity"},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100012013","name":"R\u00e9seau de recherche en sant\u00e9 buccodentaire et osseuse","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100012013","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00krnv781","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"Fonds de recherche du Qu\u00e9bec\u2014Sant\u00e9","award":["263981"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["263981"]}]},{"award":["263981"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["263981"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00w3qhf76","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Antibiotics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Dental caries remains one of the most prevalent oral diseases worldwide, largely driven by the virulence of Streptococcus mutans. Although plant phenolics from green tea and pomegranate are known for their antimicrobial properties, their molecular mechanisms of action against key S. mutans virulence targets remain insufficiently characterized. Aim: This study investigated the antibacterial and anti-virulence properties of Viroelixir, a phenolic-rich formulation derived from green tea (Camellia sinensis) and pomegranate (Punica granatum), against S. mutans, with particular emphasis on predictive molecular docking interactions with critical virulence-associated proteins. Methods: Viroelixir phytochemical composition was characterized by LC\u2013MS using a C18 reverse-phase column and negative electrospray ionization mode. Antibacterial activity was evaluated using growth kinetics, agar plating, and crystal violet assays. Acidogenicity, hemolytic activity, and biofilm formation were assessed using pH modulation, hemolysis assays, SEM, and biofilm biomass quantification. Virulence gene expression was analyzed by RT-qPCR. In silico molecular docking was performed to explore potential interactions between major LC\u2013MS-supported phenolic constituents and S. mutans virulence proteins, including glucosyltransferase B (GtfB), LuxS, and SpaP. Biocompatibility was evaluated in human gingival epithelial cells. Results: The LC-MS analysis revealed a complex mixture of phenolic compounds consistent with catechins and ellagitannins. Compound identification was considered tentative and based on mass spectral range and chromatographic behavior. Viroelixir significantly inhibited S. mutans growth, acid production, hemolytic activity, and biofilm formation in a concentration-dependent manner. Key virulence genes were markedly downregulated. Docking analyses suggested stable binding of selected phenolics\u2014particularly punicalagin, catechin, and epigallocatechin\u2014within the active sites of GtfB, LuxS, and SpaP. Importantly, Viroelixir showed no cytotoxic effects on gingival epithelial cells. Conclusions: Viroelixir exerts potent antibacterial and anti-virulence effects against S. mutans through a multi-target mechanism combining transcriptional suppression and predictive molecular inhibition of virulence proteins, supporting its potential as a safe, natural therapeutic for caries prevention.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/antibiotics15040406","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,17]],"date-time":"2026-04-17T11:53:46Z","timestamp":1776426826000},"page":"406","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Mechanistic Insights into the Anti-Virulence Effects of Viroelixir, a Phenolic Blend from Green Tea and Pomegranate, on Streptococcus mutans"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Manal","family":"Dahdah","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Groupe de Recherche en \u00c9cologie Buccale, Facult\u00e9 de M\u00e9decine Dentaire, Universit\u00e9 Laval, Qu\u00e9bec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4839-5705","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vijaykumar D.","family":"Nimbarte","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani, Hyderabad Campus, Dist. Medchal, Hyderabad 500078, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2205-8281","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mahmoud","family":"Rouabhia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Groupe de Recherche en \u00c9cologie Buccale, Facult\u00e9 de M\u00e9decine Dentaire, Universit\u00e9 Laval, Qu\u00e9bec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yasmine","family":"Ettouil","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Groupe de Recherche en \u00c9cologie Buccale, Facult\u00e9 de M\u00e9decine Dentaire, Universit\u00e9 Laval, Qu\u00e9bec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hawraa","family":"Issa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"DREAM-CV Lab, Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Latifa","family":"Koussih","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"D\u00e9partement des Sciences Exp\u00e9rimentales, Universit\u00e9 de Saint Boniface, Winnipeg, MB R2H 0H7, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mikhlid H.","family":"Almutairi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1643-0377","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Abdelhabib","family":"Semlali","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Groupe de Recherche en \u00c9cologie Buccale, Facult\u00e9 de M\u00e9decine Dentaire, Universit\u00e9 Laval, Qu\u00e9bec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"183","DOI":"10.4103\/0975-962X.144718","article-title":"Evaluation of antimicrobial efficacy of garlic, tea tree oil, cetylpyridinium chloride, chlorhexidine, and ultraviolet sanitizing device in the decontamination of toothbrush","volume":"5","author":"Chandrdas","year":"2014","journal-title":"Indian J. 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