To evaluate the mechanical properties (MP) and antimicrobial activity of a glass ionomer cement (GIC) incorporated with an antimicrobial agent from the aerial parts of Dioscorea altissima. MP were: syneresis & imbibition; solubility; elasticity module; surface microhardness and fluoride release, and the anti-Streptococcus mutans (Smut) activity was accessed by microdilution broth assay and 3-(4,5-Dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) analysis. Syneresis & imbibition

more »

... not change over time for both groups, but EG showed lower values at days 7th and 30th. The control group (CG)'s and the experimental group (EG)'s weights were similar before the solubility assay, but after seven days, CG exhibited weight gain in comparison to EG. The elasticity module had no significant differences between groups. The CG showed lower surface microhardness compared to the EG. CG and EG had similar behaviors regarding fluoride release. EG showed diminished Streptococcus mutans count in comparison to CG. EG showed similar or better mechanical properties and an improvement in the antibacterial activity than the original cement.