title: In vivo antimicrobial efficacy of 6% Morinda citrifolia, Azadirachta indica, and 3% sodium hypochlorite as root canal irrigants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate and compare the antimicrobial efficacy of 6% Morinda citrifolia, Azadirachta indica, and 3% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) as root canal irrigants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty nonvital maxillary anteriors were randomly assigned to one of the three groups corresponding to the irrigant to be tested; 6% Morinda citrifolia juice (MCJ) (n = 10), A. indica (n = 10) and 3% NaOCl (n = 10). After the root canal access opening a root canal culture sample was taken with two paper points and cultured under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Cleaning and shaping were completed with irrigation by 10 mL of respective irrigants and 5 mL of final rinse. The patients were recalled after 3 days and canals were rinsed again with 5 mL of the test irrigants. This was followed by obtaining a posttreatment root canal culture sample and culturing and analyzed by counting the colony forming units (CFUs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six percentage MCJ, A. indica, and 3% NaOCl showed a significant reduction (P < 0.05) in the mean CFU counts for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria between baseline and 3 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no difference in the antimicrobial efficacy of 6% M. citrifolia, A. indica, and 3% NaOCl as root canal irrigants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Terna Dental College, Nerul, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Podar
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Terna Dental College, Nerul, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Gaurav P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Kulkarni
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Terna Dental College, Nerul, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Shifali S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Dadu
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Terna Dental College, Nerul, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Shraddha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Terna Dental College, Nerul, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Shishir H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Singh
keywords: Azadirachta indica; Morinda citrifolia; herbal; root canal irrigants; sodium hypochlorite