COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF ANTIMICROBIAL EFFICACY OF SODIUM HYPOCHLORITE, CHLORHEXIDINE, NEEM AND GREEN TEA AGAINST E. FAECALIS - AN IN VITRO STUDY.

Aim and Objectives: To check the antimicrobial efficacy of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), chlorhexidine (CHX), neem and green tea against E. faecalis. Materials and Methods: The irrigants were divided into four groups, Group I- NaOCl, Group II- CHX, Group III- Neem, Group IV- Green tea. Agar well diffusion test was used to study the antimicrobial efficacy against E. faecalis. The plate was incubated at 37?C for 24hrs in an incubator. The zone of inhibition was recorded, tabulated, and analyzed statistically using analysis of variance. Results: All four irrigants showed well-defined and comparable zones of inhibition around their respective wells. There was significant difference between zone diameters of CHX, neem, and NaOCl against E. faecalis(p < 0.05). Conclusion: From the present study, it can be concluded that neem leaf extract shows comparable zones of inhibition with that of chlorhexidine and sodium hypochlorite.