Analyzing the Dental Applications of Brucea javanica, Solanum lasiocarpum, and Potassium alum Mixture via Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

Commercial dental care products often include synthetic chemicals that may provoke allergic responses in sensitive individuals. This study evaluates Brucea javanica, Solanum lasiocarpum, and alum stone as natural oral care alternatives, using Attenuated Total Reflectance–Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) to compare their functional groups with those found in industrial formulations. The samples are inspired and selected based on a traditional recipe from The Old Book of Turath. Plant materials were dried at 60 °C for 24 h, ground to fine powder, and extracted using ethyl acetate, ethanol, and hexane, with acetone added during preparation. ATR-FTIR analysis revealed peaks at 1045, 879, and 1746 cm⁻¹ in Brucea javanica, 1235, 1043, and 2870 cm⁻¹ in Solanum lasiocarpum, and 1235, 2978, 1746, and 1049 cm⁻¹ in alum stone. These correspond to C–F stretching (~1000–1400 cm⁻¹) and C–H bending (~885–900 cm⁻¹; ~2870–2978 cm⁻¹) modes. The presence of these functional groups is strongly associated with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities in oral care applications. ATR-FTIR has long been recognized for
its accuracy in identifying molecular functional groups and is suitable for biological samples. These findings support the viability of Brucea javanica, Solanum lasiocarpum, and alum stone as safe, sustainable, and effective alternatives to synthetic oral care agents, reinforcing the integration of traditional knowledge with modern analytical methodology