Bidens pilosa Linn.: Beautiful Weed for the Healthy Mouth – A Mini Review

Department of Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Surabaya, Jl. Raya Kalirungkut, Surabaya 60294, East Java, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: mariana_wahyudi@staff.ubaya.ac.id

Abstract

Bidens pilosa L. can be found everywhere in warm and humid regions. The plant has been used as a food and drink supplement, and as medicinal herbs for a long time by people from various places. The assortment of activities of B. pilosa in treating diseases gives a remarkable possibility to explore and develop its utilization for various medicinal purposes. In this mini-review, we explored the application of B. spilosa as herbal medicine for mouth health, specifically mouthwash. Until now, there is no information about the application of this plant for mouthwash. The use of alcohol, cetyl pyridinium, chlorhexidine, and triclosan as active ingredients in mouthwash can control plaque. However, the long-term use of these compounds may show side effects, for instance, changes in taste, and teeth and oral stains. Based on the result, it can be concluded that the B. spilosa plant contains diverse groups of compounds, such as polyacetylenes, flavonoids, and tannins, which are responsible for its various activities. The B. spilosa extracts are non-toxic and have potential active compounds in mouthwash formulation, due to their antimicrobial action against a wide range of microbes, particularly oral microbes and it has additional activities such as anti-inflammation, analgesic, and antioxidant.