An in vitro comparative evaluation of antimicrobial efficacy of propolis, morinda citrifolia juice, sodium hypochlorite and chlorhexidine on enterococcus faecalis and Candida albicans

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the antimicrobial effectiveness of Propolis, Morinda citrifolia juice, Sodium hypochlorite and Chlorhexidine on Enterococcus feacalis (E. feacalis) and Candida albicans (C. albicans), as endodontic irrigants. Materials and methods: Four clinical isolates and one standard ATCC sample (29212) of E. feacalis and ATCC sample (90028) of C. albicans were inoculated into 5ml of peptone water each and incubated at 37° C for 3 to 4 hours to attain the turbidity corresponding to 0.5 McFarland standard CFU. We followed Disc and well diffusion Kirby-Bauer method to attain the zones of inhibition. Results: Overall comparison of reagents revealed a significant difference among zones of inhibition. The standard concentration of 5% sodium hypochlorite, 2% chlorhexidine, 10% Propolis and 100% Morinda citrifolia juice illustrated the maximum inhibition zone for both test organisms. Conclusion: All four reagents had an antimicrobial effect on the microorganisms tested. Sodium hypochlorite and Chlorhexidine were more effectual than Propolis and Morinda citrifolia juice and there was increased antimicrobial efficacy with increasing concentrations.