Analysis of Active Compounds and Microbial Activity of Toothpaste Formulated from Citrus Hystrix and Lagenaria Siceraria

Oral health significantly influences overall health and quality of life. This study evaluates traditional remedies for dental health described in Malay medical manuscripts, focusing on their antimicrobial efficacy against Streptococcus mutans. A formulation combining the neck section of Lagenaria sicerariaLagenaria siceraria, the skin of Citrus hystrixCitrus hystrix’s stem, and salt was prepared, dried, and analyzed. Solid-liquid extraction and advanced spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques, including attenuated total reflectance fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), were employed to identify active compounds. Key functional groups, such as O–H, C–H3, and C=O, were detected. The presence of 2,4-ditertbutyl phenol was validated, a compound noted for its antimicrobial properties. Disk diffusion tests confirmed the formulation’s inhibitory activity against S. mutans, underscoring its potential as a natural antimicrobial agent for dental applications. This research highlights the potential integration of traditional remedies into modern oral health strategies. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026.