Interactions of sanguinarine and zinc on oral streptococci and Actinomyces species.

Sanguinaria extract, which contains benzophenanthridine alkaloids, has been used as a folk medicine for many years. Minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MIC and MBC values) for sanguinarine were determined for common and etiologically important plaque bacteria. Because the efficacy of sanguinarine is believed to be enhanced by zinc, isobolograms were assessed to determine their mode(s) of interaction.