Comparative evaluation of efficacy of calcium hydroxide, propolis, and glycyrrhiza glabra as intracanal medicaments in root canal treatment

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate and compare the antimicrobial efficacy of Ca(OH)2, 25% propolis, and 25% Glycyrrhiza glabra as intracanal medicaments in root canal treatment. Materials and methods: Total 60 freshly extracted permanent incisors were decoronated and chemomechanical preparation of root canal was performed. Samples were inoculated with a pure culture of Enterococcus faecalis and incubated for 21 days. Colony-forming units (CFUs) were recorded before medication. Incubated samples were randomly categorized into three groups, namely, Ca(OH)2, propolis, and G. glabra, with 20 samples in each group. Antibacterial activity was assessed by evaluating the variance in the CFUs on Day 7. Paired “t” test and Post-hoc Tukey’s test were applied to analyze the data. Results: Reduction of CFUs was noticed in all the groups (p <0.001), however the reduction was more predominant in the propolis group. Conclusion: Propolis is more effective against E. faecalis, when compared to G. glabra and Ca(OH)2.