title: Comparative evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of natural extracts of Morinda citrifolia, papain and aloe vera (all in gel formulation), 2% chlorhexidine gel and calcium hydroxide, against Enterococcus faecalis: An in vitro study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A comparative evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of natural extracts of Morinda citrifolia, papain, and aloe vera (all in gel formulations), 2% chlorhexidine gel and calcium hydroxide, against Enterococcus faecalis-an in vitro study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The antimicrobial efficacy was assessed in vitro using dentin shavings collected at 2 depths of 200 and 400 μm. The total colony forming units at the end of 1, 3, and 5 days were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall percentage inhibition of bacterial growth (200 and 400 μm depth) was 100% with chlorhexidine gel. This was followed by M. citrifolia gel (86.02%), which showed better antimicrobial efficacy as compared with aloe vera gel (78.9%), papain gel (67.3%), and calcium hydroxide (64.3%). There was no statistical difference between data at 200 and 400 μm depth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chlorhexidine gel showed the maximum antimicrobial activity against E. faecalis, whereas calcium hydroxide showed the least. Among the natural intracanal medicaments, M. citrifolia gel consistently exhibited good inhibition up to the 5(th) day followed by aloe vera gel and papain gel.
authors.affiliation: Modern Dental College And Research Centre, Gandhi Nagar, Airport Road, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Anuj
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhardwaj
authors.forename: Suma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ballal
authors.forename: Natanasabapathy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Velmurugan