EVALUATION OF THE ANTIMICROBIAL EFFECT OF HERBAL EXTRACTS USED AS AN ADJUVANT IN THE CLEANING OF ROOT CANALS BY LASER BEAM IRRADIATION

Abstract

An infection of the root canal system is a mixed infection with gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, and the three-dimensional dentinal tubular network is usually penetrated by these bacteria, forming an outbreak site for a potential reinfection of endodontically treated teeth. Herbal extracts from walnut, sage and echinacea heal infected tissues by having high concentrations of chemicals called tannins, which can reduce pain and inflammation. The study aimed to highlight the effectiveness of laser beam irradiation of alcoholic and hydroalcoholic plant extracts in enhancing their antimicrobial effect. The study used 7 plant extracts obtained at the Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 4 preparations of walnut fruit (Juglans regia), 2 preparations of sage (Salvia officinalis) and a preparation represented by Echinacea tincture (Echinacea purpurea). The 7 untreated extracts represented the Control, and the variants analyzed were obtained by treating the plant extracts with a 940 nm diode laser beam, in pulsed mode, on the appropriate wavelength, at powers of 3W and 5W, respectively. The bacterial strain used in this study was Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212 (American Type Culture Collection) which was inoculated on Mueller Hinton agar and TSB (tryptone soy broth) at 37˚C. The qualitative assessment of the antimicrobial activity and the quantitative determination of the antimicrobial activity of the extracts analyzed were performed. By laser beam irradiation of the 940 nm diode laser, with the two power variants (3W and 5W) the potentiating action of the antimicrobial effect of the solutions used and their possible impact on the root canal dentine was observed, especially those irradiated with the 5W power. The most effective extract was that of walnut seed coat, followed by sage, and biofilms formed by the Enterococcus faecalis strain were inhibited by the application of extracts obtained from walnut seed coat and sage, previously treated with the 5W laser beam. The results of this study showed that the 940 nm wavelength laser has a high potential to activate and stimulate plant extracts used to reduce bacteria following root canal irrigation.

Keywords

• herbal extracts
• 940 nm diode laser
• enterococcus faecalis
• endodontic treatment