Oral compositions containing enhanced antibacterial combinations of antioxidants and extracts of magnolia

1. An oral chewable solid composition having synergistic antibacterial activity against Streptococcus mutans comprising an antibacterial-effective amount of an antioxidant selected from the group consisting of butylated hydroxyanisole, propyl gallate, octyl gallate, dodecyl gallate or combinations thereof, and an extract of Magnolia wherein the ratio of antioxidant to Magnolia extract is from about 1:1 to about 5:1.

2. The chewable solid composition of claim 1 wherein the extract of Magnolia comprises the compound magnolol.

3. The chewable solid composition of claim 1 wherein the extract of Magnolia comprises the compound honokiol.

4. The chewable solid composition of claim 2 wherein the magnolol comprises greater than 90% by weight of the extract.

5. The chewable solid composition of claim 3 wherein the honokiol comprises less than 50% by weight of the extract.

6. The chewable solid composition of claim 1 in which the antioxidant and extract of Magnolia has a fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) of less than 1 against Streptococcus mutans.

7. The chewable solid composition of claim 1 wherein the chewable solid composition is a mint, chewing gum, chewy candy, or combinations thereof.

8. An antibacterial chewing gum composition having synergistic antibacterial activity against Streptococcus mutans comprising a combination of an antioxidant selected from the group consisting of butylated hydroxyanisole, propyl gallate, octyl gallate, dodecyl gallate, or combinations thereof and an extract of Magnolia wherein the extract comprises at least 80% by weight magnolol and wherein the ratio of antioxidant to Magnolia extract is about 5:1.

9. The composition of claim 8 wherein the antioxidant is selected from the group consisting of propyl gallate, octyl gallate, dodecyl gallate, or combinations thereof.

10. The composition of claim 8 wherein the antioxidant is octyl gallate, butylated hydroxyanisole, or combinations thereof.

11. The composition of claim 8 wherein the effective amount of antioxidant is from about 0.002 to about 2% by weight.

12. A method of inhibiting the growth of Streptococcus mutans by contacting with a chewable solid composition comprising a synergistic antibacterial effective amount of a combination of an antioxidant selected from the group consisting of butylated hydroxyanisole, propyl gallate, octyl gallate, dodecyl gallate, or combinations thereof, and an extract of Magnolia containing hydroxybiphenyl compounds selected from the group consisting of magnolol, honokiol and mixtures thereof, wherein the ratio of antioxidant to Magnolia extract is about 5:1.

13. The method of claim 12 in which the chewable solid composition contains an effective amount of Magnolia extract of 0.001 to about 5% by weight containing hydroxybiphenyl compounds of about 0.002 to about 2%, and the hydroxybiphenyl compounds contain 80% to about 99% by weight magnolol and 1 to 20% by weight honokiol.

14. An oral chewable solid composition having synergistic antibacterial activity against Streptococcus sobrinus comprising an antibacterial-effective amount of butylated hydroxytoluene and an extract of Magnolia.

15. The composition of claim 8 wherein the effective amount of the Magnolia Extract is in the range of 0.001 to about 5% by weight.

16. The composition of claim 14 , wherein the ratio of butylated hydroxytoluene to Magnolia extract is about 10:1.

17. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of antioxidant to Magnolia extract is about 5:1.