The document summarizes a study that will investigate the antimicrobial properties of Saccharum spontaneum (talahib) extract on dentures. The study will collect talahib leaves to create an extract, which will be tested on common oral microbes like S. aureus, E. coli, and C. albicans. Denture wearers will be recruited and their dentures treated with talahib extract, Polident, or water. Microbial counts from swabs of the dentures will then be analyzed before and after treatment and compared between the groups. The researchers hypothesize that talahib extract will significantly reduce microbial counts compared to the control groups.

1. TALAHIB
Joseph Russell N. Gorda

2. Antimicrobial Effect of Saccharum spontaneum Extract on Microbial
Adherence on Acrylic Resin Denture Base Material

3. CHAPTER 1
THE PROBLEM AND
ITS BACKGROUND

4. INTRODUCTION
Talahib, known scienti
fi
cally as Saccharum
spontaneum Linn., is commonly known as ‘Wild cane’
in English and ‘Kans’ in Hindi
.
Talahib is distributed in open areas at low and medium
altitudes, ascending to 1,500 meters, often gregarious, it
occupies large areas throughout the Philippines and also
occurs from India to southern China and through
Malaya to Polynesia.

5. Talahib is considered as valuable medicinal herb in
traditional systems of medicine in India according to
Ayurveda and is a popular folk medicine.
Phytochemical screening yielded quinones, terpenes,
alkaloids,
fl
avonoids, saponins, tannins, carbohydrates,
protein, coumarin, phenol, steroids and glycosides.
Some of the phytochemicals yielded are known for its
antimicrobial properties.2

6. The researchers would like to determine the
e
ff
ectiveness of the talahib leaves extract's antimicrobial
property as a denture cleanser.
Furthermore, this study was conducted to provide an
alternative option aside from other known
managements for cleansing dentures.

7. BACKGROUND OF THE
STUDY
Talahib is considered a noxious plant and invades
naturally abandoned and pastoral land in the
Philippines
.
Aside from being a feed for farm animals, it remains
neglected and under-utilize
d
The researchers decided to make use of talahib as a
denture cleanser because it contains antimicrobial
properties.

8. SETTING OF THE
STUDY
The study will be held in Barangay Sta. Cruz, Guiguinto
municipality of Bulacan.
It has a total land area of 247.6 hectares with a 2,889
number of households and 3,102 number of families
.
In total it has a population of 12,387.3

9. CONCEPTUAL
FRAMEWORK
Gram-Negative
(Escherichia coli)
Fungus
(Candida albicans)
Gram-positive
(Staphylococcus aureus)
Antimicrobial agent
Ampicillin, Co-trimoxazole, or
Ketoconazole
Distilled water
Polident
Talahib Leaves extract
(Saccharum spontaneum)
50%, 60%, 70% and 80%
concentration
Microbiological Test

10. Microbial count (after treatment)
PoliDent
(10 mins.)
Distilled Water
(10 mins)
Microbial count (after treatment)
Talahib extract treatment
(whichever concentration that will be
the most effective in microbiolocal test)
(10 mins)
(Experimental Group)
Microbial count (before treatment)
(Control Group)
Microbial count (before treatment)
Treatment proper

11. Polident® Overnight Denture Cleanser Table
t
Polident® Denture Cleanser Tablets are intended to
remove food particles, stains, germs, and plaque from dental
appliances such as full plate and partial dentures by action
outside the body
.
The formulation contains bleaching agents, a surfactant, an
enzyme, and antimicrobial agents. These ingredients work
together to loosen and separate adherent substances from
denture surfaces, to eliminate stains
.
Polident® 3 minutes Express Denture Cleanser Table
t
Polident ® Denture Cleanser Tablets are intended to
remove food particles, stains, germs, and plaque from dental
appliances such as full plate and partial dentures by action
outside the body
.
The formulation contains bleaching agents, a surfactant, an
enzyme, and antimicrobial agents. These ingredients work
together to loosen and separate adherent substances from
denture surfaces, to eliminate stains

12. STATEMENT OF THE
PROBLEM
1. What is the physical property of Saccharum spontaneum extract?
2. What is its effect on the most commonly found microorganisms
on denture?
3. What is the concentration needed to kill the microgranisms?
(50%, 60%, 70% or 80%)

13. 4. What is the bacterial count on the denture before it was
immersed to the solution?
5. What is the bacterial count on the denture after it was
immersed to the solution?
6. What are the physical effects of the solution on the denture
based on the criteria?

14. HYPOTHESIS
The microbial count of the control group is
signi
fi
cantly higher than experimental group after
administration of talahib extract.

15. ASSUMPTION
The researchers assumed that the experimental group
who are wearing dentures which are those treated with
talahib extract will have a lesser microbial count as
compared to the control group
.
The researchers assumed that all gathered specimen are
free from contamination.

16. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
STUDY
Denture wearer
s
Environmen
t
Dentistry practice
Research

17. SCOPE AND
DELIMITATION
Speci
fi
c microorganisms
This study delimits individuals wit
h
1. been wearing dentures less than 3 years
2. known systemic diseases
3. pregnant woman

18. CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF
RELATED
LITERATURE

19. LOCAL LITERATURE
According to Quisumbing
:
Talahib is found in open areas at low and medium altitudes, ascending to 1,500 meters, and
often gregarious, occupying almost exclusively large areas throughout the Philippines. It
also occurs from India to southern China and through Malaya to Polynesia
.
Talahib is a coarse, erect, perennial, usually more or less tufted or gregarious grass,
attaining a height of 1 to 3.5 meters, and rising from stout underground rootstocks. The
leaves are harsh, linear, 0.5 t o1 meter long, 6 to 15 millimeters wide. The panicles are
white, erect, 15 to 40 centimeters long, with the branches slender, whorled, fragile, and the
joints covered with long, soft, white hairs. The spikelets are about 3.5 millimeters long,
very much shorter than the copious, long white hairs at the base
.
A decoction of the roots is used in the Philippines as a diuretic. Sulit exports that the
warm pulp of the stem is used as a poultice and applied to painful parts of the legs, etc., in
cases of su
ff
ering from beriberi. In Bengal, according to Nadkarni, the roots are used as a
galactagogue and diuretic.

20. According to Stuart
:
Phytochemical screening yielded quinones, terpenes, alkaloids,
fl
avonoids, saponins, tannins, carbohydrates,
protein, coumarin, phenol, steroids and glycosides. Various root extracts yielded terpenoids, steroids, glycosides,
tannins,
fl
avonoids, carbohydrates
.
In Ayurveda, roots are considered sweet, astringent, emollient, refrigerant, diuretic, lithotriptic, purgative, tonic,
aphrodisiac dyspepsia, piles, sexual weakness, respiratory problems and gynecological troubles.
In the Philippines decoction of the roots used as a diuretic. Decoction of roots used for fever. Warmed poultice of
the stem pulp applied to painful areas in the leg and in cases su
ff
ering from beri beri
.
In Pakistan, it is used as laxative, phthisis, burning sensations and disease of the blood.
In Bengal, roots are used as galactagogue and diuretic
.
Phytochemicals: Screening yielded the presence of quinines, alkaloids, tannins, carbohydrates, protein, coumarin,
phenol, steroid and glycosides
.
Antimicrobial / Cytotoxic / Antioxidant: Chloroform extract showed antioxidant activity with IC50 value of
51.04 ug/ml (vs ascorbic acid 41.04). Crude extract showed cytotoxic activity using Brine shrimp lethality assay with
LC50 of 6.63 ug.mL (vincristin 10.64). Antimicrobial activity was exhibited against gram-positive and gram-negative
pathogenic bacteria and against three tested fungi
.
Antimicrobial / Trinpanchmool / Herbal Combination: Study on the antimicrobial activity of trinpanchmool
drugs - a combination of Kush (Desmotachya bipinnata), Darbh (Imperata cylindrica) and Kas (Saccharum
spontaneum) showed promising antimicrobial activity against di
ff
erent microorganisms (gram-positive, gram
negative and fungal strains). The drugs in coombination were more active than individual extracts.

21. LOCAL STUDIES
According to the study by Tolentino et. al
:
phytochemical screening result shows that the talahib
extract was positive to alkaloid and
fl
avonoids in four
tests conducted. This means that the talahib extract
contains alkaloids, which are analgesic (pain reliever)
and anti-bacterial agent. It also contains
fl
avonoids,
which is known for their anti-in
fl
ammatory, anti-
allergic, anticancer, and antibacterial properties.

22. FOREIGN LITERATURE
According to Richards et. al, (2015
)
S. spontaneum has the potential to become a serious
invader of cultivated land, often resulting in its
abandonment. It has been shown to reduce the
productivity of a number of crop species including
wheat, tea, rubber and sugarcane, for example. In
addition to this, S. spontaneum is a host to a large
number of pests and diseases which may acts as a
reservoir enabling spread into adjacent crops.

23. FOREIGN STUDIES
According to Sato et. al
:
in the oral cavity of edentulous persons, bacteria are found to
colonise the tongue, oral mucous membranes and denture
surfaces. Since saliva is bacteria-free when secreted, most
bacteria in saliva are presumed to have their origin from such
oral sites. Some are adapted to the salivary environment, and
some contribute to the formation of bacterial deposits at
various oral sites, including the denture plaque which may then
induce denture stomatitis in some circumstances. Thus, saliva
may function as a vehicle for the transfer of bacteria from site
to site in the oral cavity.

25. According to Suresh
kumar et. al.

26. CHAPTER 3
METHODS AND
PROCEDURES

27. RESEARCH DESIGN
This study utilized pre-test-post-test control group
design to determine the e
ff
ectiveness of talahib extract
in lowering microbial count after administration of
talahib extract.

28. RESEARCH
RESPONDENTS
Three microorganisms were collected from UPLB
(University of the Philippines- Los Banos) and subjected for
the microbiological test speci
fi
cally a Gram-positive
bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, a and Gram-negative
bacteria, Escherichia coli and a fungus, Candida albicans.
For the application of this study
:
thirty (30) maxillary complete denture wearers from
Guiguinto, Bulacan had no systemic disease and were
wearing their present dentures for more than 3 years

29. ten (10) were designated for the experimental group
received an extract of talahi
b
control group
:
ten (10) were the positive control group who received
Polident
ten (10) denture-wearers were the negative control group
who received distilled water .

30. The control group was compared to the experimental
group
.
From each group
:
fi
ve (5) dentures will be swabbed on the tissue side surface
and
fi
ve (5) will be swabbed on the palatal surface.
A total of sixty (60) saliva specimen will be collected thirty
(30) from each group will be swabbed for pre-test microbial
count and another thirty (30) will be swabbed for post-test
microbial count for comparison.

31. SAMPLING
TECHNIQUE
• Fishbowl technique - randomized technique

32. MICROBIOLOGICAL
TESTS
The crude extract from Saccharum spontaneum
leaves.
• Staphylococcus aureus
• Escherichia coli
• Candida albicans

33. METHOD OF DATA
GATHERING
1. The researchers seeked permission from the Dentistry
Department to conduct the study.
2. The researchers seeked approval from the IERC to conduct
research
.
3. Case
fi
nding to determine the subject based on inclusion
criteria
.
4. A written consent from the researchers of the study to the
subjects regarding the immersion of upper complete denture to
Saccharum spontaneum extract
.
5.

34. 5. Implementation Phas
e
5.1.Preparation of Saccharum spontaneum extract
.
5.1.1.Gather Talahib leave
s
5.1.2.Wash the Talahib leaves thoroughl
y
5.1.3.Grind the leaves
.
5.1.4.Macerate in 80% alcohol and evaporate
.
5.1.5.Collect the crude extract
.
5.2.Analysis of the Saccharum spontaneum extract
.
5.2.1.Toxicity tes
t
5.2.2.Microbiological test

35. 5. Implementation Phas
e
5.3.Administration of the treatmen
t
5.3.1.Explain the whole procedure to the patient and its potential bene
fi
t
.
5.3.2.Collect the denture from the patient
.
5.3.3.Swab the tissue side surface and the palatal side for the pretest microbial
count
.
5.3.4.Immerse the denture on either of the three solutions (Talahib extract,
Polident and distilled water) for 10 minutes
.
5.3.5.Swab the tissue side surface and the palatal side for the post-test microbial
count for comparison
.
5.3.6.Wash the denture thoroughly to remove the solution and air-dry for re-use
.
5.3.7.Monitor the patient for 30 minutes for any untoward reactions
.
6. Evaluation of the Antimicrobial E
ff
ect of Saccharum spontaneum Extract on Bacterial
and Fungal Adherence on Acrylic Resin Denture Base Material.