COMPARISON OF THE ANTIMICROBIAL EFFICACY OF COMBINATIONS OF TURMERIC, ALOE VERA AND NEEM AS AN INTRACANAL MEDICAMENT WITH CALCIUM HYDROXIDE ON ENTEROCOCCUS FAECALIS – AN INVITRO STUDY

Abstract

Intracanal medicament is an integral part of endodontic procedures that needs to have
antibacterial effect on the infected root canal bacteria for the success of endodontic
procedures. Calcium hydroxide is currently the ‘golden standard’ intracanal medicament. The
search for an effective and ideal intracanal medicament is ongoing process that is still elusive.
In an attempt to search for new materials in future, we, in this study are trying to look at the
past. Ayurveda, originated in India more than 3000 years ago. There is a renewed interest in
herbal products in recent years as many have demonstrated antibacterial, antiseptic and
analgesic properties.
AIM: To compare invitro the antibacterial efficacy of a combination of herbal extracts, i.e.
turmeric + Aloe vera, turmeric + neem, turmeric + distilled water with calcium hydroxide as
an intracanal medicament on Enterococcus faecalis.MATERIALS AND METHOD: This study is an invitro pilot study in which E. Faecalis
bacterial ATCC strain – 29212 was used. E. Faecalis is a facultative anaerobe most
commonly found in an infected root canal. A Mueller Hinton agar plate was inoculated with
E. faecalis . Wells with diameter 6-8mm were punched and the Herbal extract combinations
were pipetted into these agar wells. The diameter of the inhibition zones around all the wells
were measured manually after incubation for 48hrs. The zones of inhibition of turmeric
combinations were then compared to the zone of inhibition of calcium hydroxide.
RESULTS: No Zone of inhibition (0mm) was seen around the wells containing Turmeric and
its combinations. Calcium hydroxide (17mm) showed better antibacterial efficacy when
compared to turmeric and its combinations.
CONCLUSION: Turmeric showed no antibacterial efficacy against E.faecalis indicating
E.faecalis ATCC strain 29212 was resistant to turmeric and its combinations with aloe vera
and neem.