Authors:

Abstract

Introduction and Objective: Chlorhexidine is used as an oral mouthwash to reduce oral colonization related to dental disease. Triphala (An ayurvedic preparation from the dried fruits of Emblica officinalis, Terminalia bellirica and Terminalia chebula) and Mimusops elengi(Munamal) are used as mouthwashes in Ayurvedic medicine and are known to have antimicrobial activity.
This study was aimed to determine the effect of 0.2% Chlorhexidine gluconate, Triphala and Mimusops elengi (Munamal) on Candida species and three common bacterial pathogens.

Methods: The effect of 0.2% chlorhexidine gluconate, Triphala and Mimusops elengi (Munamal) aqueous extracts against Candida spp., Staphylococcus aureus, and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were determined using an agar well diffusion method. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Triphala and Munamal aqueous extracts for the microorganisms were determined using broth micro dilution method with alamar blue modification.

Results: 0.2% Chlorhexidine gluconate showed a zone of inhibition for all test microbial strains. Triphala demonstrated activity against all tested microbial species except Candida glabrata, Candida dubliniensis and Escherichia coli. Munamal Pothu demonstrated activity against Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA only. Chlorhexidine gluconate inhibited the growth of Candida (C. albicans and C. tropicalis) at 1/512 dilution (MIC = 0.004 mg/ml for both organisms). The MIC of Triphala for C. albicans and C. tropicalis was 32.5 mg/ml. Anti-candida activity of Chlorhexidine gluconate was achieved at very low concentrations.

Conclusions: Triphala as a potential oral mouthwash agent with activity against C. albicans and C. tropicalis requires further investigation.

Keywords: Candida, Chlorhexidine, Triphala, Mimusops elengi (Munamal)