title: Microbiologic Evaluation of Matricaria and Chlorhexidine against E. faecalis and C. albicans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the antimicrobial activity of different concentrations of Matricaria chamomilla and Chlorhexidine gel against Candida albicans and Enterococcus faecalis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The agar diffusion test was used to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of 15%, 25% Matricaria chamomilla in aq. base and 2% chlorhexidine gel against C. albicans (ATCC 24433) and E. faecalis (ATCC 24212) strains. Vancomycin was used as the positive control for E. faecalis and fluconazole for C. albicans . The agar plates were incubated at 37°C for 48 h after which the zone of inhibition were measured separately for each material. Data thus obtained were statistically analyzed using the Wilcoxon rank-order test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  2% chlorhexidine showed maximum inhibitory zone for C. albicans (33.26 mm) and E. faecalis (24.54 mm). 25% Matricaria showed zones of 24.16 mm and 20.62 mm for C. albicans and E. faecalis, respectively. 15% Matricaria did not show any antimicrobial activity (0 mm).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the current in vitro study suggest that 25% Matricaria can be used as an antimicrobial agent, but it is less effective than 2% chlorhexidine gluconate gel against C. albicans and E. faecalis. Matricaria at a lesser concentration of 15% aq. base is ineffective against both the microorganisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Career Post Graduate Institute of Dental Sciences and Hospital, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Hena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dental Sciences, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chandra
keywords: Agar diffusion test; Candida albicans; Enterococcus faecalis; Matricaria chamomilla; chlorhexidine