A Comparative Evaluation of Antimicrobial Efficacy of Various Intracanal Medicaments (Curcuma longa, Honey, Nitrofurantoin, and Calcium Hydroxide) on Enterococcus faecalis: An In Vitro Study

Background: In the modern era of dentistry, natural and herbal alternatives are favored since they are renewable, have fewer adverse effects, and are cost-effective. Purpose: To assess the effectiveness of different intracanal medications in eliminating Enterococcus faecalis. Materials and Methods: In total, 50 single-rooted extracted teeth were decoronated at the cemento-enamel junction followed by the preparation of the canal. Then, in each of the presterilized samples, inoculum containing the E. faecalis was transferred and incubated at 37°C for 24 hours. Samples were allocated into 5 groups of 10 each: Group A (saline), Group B (calcium hydroxide), Group C ( Curcuma longa), Group D (honey), and Group E (nitrofurantoin group). The medicaments were injected into the canals respectively, the antibacterial assessment was done on the 1st and 7th day. Dentinal shavings are incubated and streaked on Mueller–Hinton agar plates and incubated for 24 hours at 37°C and the colony forming units (CFUs) were assessed. Results: Among all the groups, there was a significant change in the number of colonies from Day 1 to Day 7, except in Group A (saline). Comparison between the groups revealed significant differences, with better efficacy by Group D (honey) followed by Group E (nitrofurantoin) and Group C ( C. longa). The least antimicrobial efficacy was observed with calcium hydroxide and no activity with saline. Conclusion: Honey has the greatest antimicrobial efficacy among all the tested intra-canal medicament groups.