Phytomedicine: Herbal venture in green endodontics

Abstract

Introduction: Nature has bestowed a very rich botanical wealth. Antimicrobial agents of plant origin have enormous therapeutic potential. Azadirachta Indica (AI) & Aloe Barbadensis (AB) are the natural product that has gained interest in endodontics as irrigant due to their antibacterial effectiveness against several endodontic pathogens. Hence the purpose of this in vivo study was to compare the antimicrobial efficacy of herbal (Azadirachta Indica & Aloe Barbadensis) with conventional (Sodium Hypochlorite and Chlorhexidine Gluconate) irrigants in infected root canals. Methodology: One hundred and twenty five patients satisfying the inclusion criteria were selected. Before and after the root canal preparation, two canal samples were obtained by a harvesting method using a sterile paper point and then transferred for microbiological study. Results: The results of present study indicated that use of Sodium Hypochlorite showed greatest percentage reduction in Aerobic Microbial Load (87.58%) followed by Azadirachta Indica (82.24%), Chlorhexidine Gluconate (78.32%), Aloe Barbadensis (27.22%) and Distilled Water (15.73%). In anaerobic microbial load Azadirachta Indica showed greatest percentage reduction (78.43%) followed by Chlorhexidine Gluconate (78.12%), Sodium Hypochlorite (75.16%), Distilled Water (12.38%) and Aloe Barbadensis (-9.74%). Conclusion: The results of present study indicate that the number of post-irrigant positive cultures (CFU/ml) was significantly lower than the pre-irrigant cultures in all the groups.