comparative evaluation of the antimicrobial efficacy of anethum graveolens gel with chlorhexidine gel against aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, porphyromonas gingivalis and fusobacterium nucleatum- an in vitro study

Periodontitis is an infection of the periodontium caused by group of specific microorganisms, resulting in progressive destruction of the periodontal ligamentand alveolar bone. initial treatment for periodontitis is mechanical scaling and root planing, but it does not cause sufficient reduction of the bacterial load due to lack of accessibility to microorganisms. hence, the incorporation of adjunctive chemotherapeutic agent enhances the outcome at sites which are not responsive to conventional therapy. chlorhexidine is considered the gold standard for local drug delivery system but it has side effects like tooth staining, xerostomia and calculus formation. this has led to increasing demand for herbal medicine as they show fewer side effects and are cost effective. among these herbal remedies anethum graveolens, which contains natural phytochemicals is known for its therapeutic properties. hence the present in-vitro microbiological study was undertaken to evaluate and compare the antimicrobial activity of anethum graveolens gel with chlorhexidine gel for aa,pg and fn. mic and mbc of the ethanolic extract of anethum graveolens against standard atcc bacterial strains of a.a, p.g and f.n were determined using broth dilution method and streaking on blood agar plates. the antimicrobial activity of the prepared anethum graveolens gel was evaluated and compared with chlorhexidine gel using the agar well diffusion assay. the zone of inhibition for chlorhexidine gel was 15.6 mm, 17mm and 15.3mm for a.a, p.g and f.n respectively, whereas for a. graveolens gel it was 12.6mm 13mm and 12mm for 24. a.a, p.g and f.n respectively.the results obtained suggested that chlorhexidine gel showed a slightly better antimicrobial activity as compared to the anethum graveolens gel against aa, pg and fn.