Researchers have found in a new study that Bestatin may be a promising drug for treatment and prevention of periodontitis. The findings of the new study have been published in the Journal of Periodontology.
Chronic periodontitis (CP), the most prevalent dysbiotic bacteria-driven chronic inflammatory disease, is an underestimated global health problem in itself, and due to a causative relationship with other disorders such as cardiovascular diseases or Alzheimer disease. The Chronic periodontitis pathogenesis is primarily driven by Porphyromonas gingivalis in humans, and Porphyromonas gulae in dogs. These microorganisms initiate a pathogenic shift in the composition of the tooth-surface microflora. The objective of researchers was to evaluate antimicrobial effects of bestatin, a potential Chronic periodontitis drug candidate.

Researchers evaluated bestatin bacteriostatic efficiency against periodontopathogens in planktonic cultures via microplate assay, and mono- and multispecies oral biofilm models. Neutrophil bactericidal activities, such as phagocytosis, were investigated in vitro using granulocytes isolated from the peripheral blood. The therapeutic efficacy and the immunomodulatory function of bestatin was assessed in a murine model of Chronic periodontitis.
Results
Bestatin exhibited bacteriostatic activity against both P. gingivalis and P. gulae, and controlled the formation and species composition of the biofilm. We demonstrated that bestatin promotes the phagocytosis of periodontopathogens by neutrophils. Finally, we found that providing bestatin in the animal feed prevented alveolar bone resorption.
They showed that in a murine model of Chronic periodontitis bestatin not only shifted the biofilm species composition from pathogenic to a commensal one, but also promoted bacteria clearance by immune cells and alleviated inflammation. Taken together, these results suggest that bestatin is a promising drug choice for the treatment and/or prevention of periodontitis and clinical trials are required to fully evaluate its potency.
Reference:
Kaminska, M, Benedyk-Machaczka, M, Adamowicz, K, et al. Bestatin as a treatment modality in experimental periodontitis. J Periodontol. 2023; 94: 1338–1350. https://doi.org/10.1002/JPER.22-0614
Keywords:
Bestatin, promising, drug, for, treatment, prevention, periodontitis, Kaminska, M, Benedyk-Machaczka, M, Adamowicz, K