The antibacterial effect of 10% Salvadorapersica (Siwak), 10% green tea, and 50% lemon juice on Enterococcus faecalis: an invitro study

Background and objective: Shaping and disinfection of the root canal with a combination of chemical agents and endodontic instruments play an important role in the success of endodontic therapy. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial properties of herbal alternatives as possible irrigates against Enterococcus faecalis during endodontic treatment compared with the conventional irrigation solutions such as NaOCl 5%. Methods: A 10% Siwak extract, 10% green tea extract and 50% fresh lemon juice were prepared separately to make antibiotic disks and seeded on the culture media respectively and compared with 5% NaOCl, distilled water as the control. Plates were left to incubate for 48 hours at 37Cₒ. Zones of inhibition of the bacterial growth were calculated to measure the antibacterial effect of the tested irrigants. Results: All irrigants were active against this bacterium. The 5% NaOCl had the highest mean value (27.70±0.66), followed by 10% Siwak (Salvadorapersica) (21.60±0.7), 50% lemon juice (15.10±0.56), and 10% green tea (10.50±0.5). Conclusion: Herbal extracts can be used as the possible irrigant to compensate 5% NaOCl during endodontic treatment