{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,2]],"date-time":"2026-04-02T13:00:06Z","timestamp":1775134806970,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":27,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,1]],"date-time":"2026-04-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1775001600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pharmaceuticals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Dental caries, primarily caused by Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans), is a prevalent condition with significant global impact. Trans-cinnamaldehyde (TC), a phytochemical derived from the cinnamon plant, has shown promising antibacterial and antibiofilm activity against S. mutans. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-cariogenic effects of TC on S. mutans using an innovative mouse jaw explant model. Methods: TC was diluted in an organic solvent across various concentrations. Initially, cytotoxicity assays were performed at all tested TC concentrations. Sub-minimum bactericidal concentrations were then used to examine the distribution and morphology of S. mutans biofilms. Hemi-mandibles were dissected from euthanized, healthy, seven-week-old female mice to study the impact of TC on the cariogenic activity of S. mutans using stereoscopic analysis. Finally, pH changes during exposure to cariogenic conditions and post-treatment bacterial viability were measured. Results: In vitro data demonstrate that TC doses of \u2264625 \u00b5g\/mL were non-cytotoxic. Treatment groups exposed to TC exhibited altered bacterial morphology, including abnormal and incomplete cell division. In the mouse jaw explant model, TC doses of \u2265625 \u00b5g\/mL showed anti-cariogenic effects, evidenced by the absence of visible carious lesions. Additionally, pH changes and post-treatment viable bacterial counts corresponded with the observed anti-cariogenic activity. TC doses \u2264625 \u00b5g\/mL led to a pH drop over time and the presence of bacterial colonies. Conclusions: TC exhibits significant anti-cariogenic activity against S. mutans in the mouse model. Our findings suggest that 625 \u00b5g\/mL is the lowest non-toxic concentration of TC that effectively inhibits cariogenic activity.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ph19040566","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,2]],"date-time":"2026-04-02T11:51:03Z","timestamp":1775130663000},"page":"566","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Anti-Cariogenic Effect of Trans-Cinnamaldehyde in an In Vitro Mouse Jaw Explant Model"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"19","author":[{"given":"Zilefac","family":"Brian Ngokwe","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Prosthodontics, Hadassah Medical Center, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel"},{"name":"The International Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0062-1400","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Amit","family":"Wolfoviz-Zilberman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Prosthodontics, Hadassah Medical Center, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9374-2489","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Galia","family":"Blum","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Talya Hanna","family":"Avraham","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Nurit","family":"Beyth","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Prosthodontics, Hadassah Medical Center, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Yael","family":"Houri-Haddad","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Prosthodontics, Hadassah Medical Center, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Dana","family":"Kesler-Shvero","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Prosthodontics, Hadassah Medical Center, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"(2024, February 08). 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