A Comparative Evaluation of Antibacterial Efficacy of Moringa oleifera Leaf Extract, Octenidine Dihydrochloride, and Sodium Hypochlorite as Intracanal Irrigants against Enterococcus faecalis: An In Vitro Study.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate and compare the microbial efficacy of Moringa oleifera leaf extract, octenidine dihydrochloride (OCT), NaOCl, and their combinations as intracanal irrigants against Enterococcus faecalis. Materials and Methods: Sixty single-rooted mandibular premolars were decoronated followed by root canal preparation. Each root specimen was autoclaved, inoculated with E. faecalis, and incubated at 37°C for 48 hr. Then, the specimens were divided into six groups based on the irrigation solution used: 2.5% NaOCl (Group 1), 0.1% OCT (Group 2), M. oleifera leaves extract (Group 3), a combination of M. oleifera extract and 1.25% NaOCl (Group 4), a combination of M. oleifera extract and OCT (Group 5) and normal saline (Group 6). Microbial samples were taken from each root canal before (S1) and after (S2) irrigation and the bacterial viability was assessed using colony-forming units (CFU) on bile esculin agar plates. Results: Comparing the number of CFU/ml before and after irrigation showed a significant reduction (P < 0.001) in all studied groups. Comparison between the CFU/ml after irrigation by NaOCl and each of the combination groups showed a significant difference. Conclusion: M. oleifera leaves extract and 0.1% OCT solutions have antibacterial effect against E. faecalis comparable to 2.5% NaOCl and might be used as root canal irrigants. The combination groups showed better antimicrobial activities than individual irrigants. However, further studies are required to investigate the biocompatibility and possible toxic effects of the tested irrigants.

Effect of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) -308 and -1031 gene polymorphisms on periodontitis among Saudi subjects.

Objectives: Periodontitis is an infectious disorder that leads to irreversible loss of the surrounding attachment and bone destruction. Genetic polymorphism of cytokines has been suggested to play a role in periodontitis. This case-control study aimed to investigate the relationship between periodontitis and two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs): rs1800629 (-308 G/A) and rs1799964 (-1031 T/C), in the TNF-α gene promoter area. Materials and methods: Peripheral blood was used to prepare genomic DNA from 60 subjects with stage II to stage III periodontitis, as along with 65 control subjects. Polymerase chain reaction and restriction endonuclease digestion were used to genotype TNF-α SNPs. Results: The distribution of both genotypes and alleles of TNF-α (-308 G/A) polymorphism did not vary between periodontitis subjects and the controls (P > 0.05). However, the CT genotype and C allele of the TNF-α (-1031 T/C) polymorphism were observed more frequently in the periodontitis subjects than in the controls, while the TT genotype and the T allele were more predominant in the control subjects than in the periodontitis patients (OR: 3.149; 95% CI: 1.494-6.639; P = 0.002 and OR: 2.933; 95% CI: 1.413-6.090; P = 0.003, sequentially). Conclusion: The TNF-α (-308 G/A) polymorphism potentially has no correlation with periodontitis susceptibility, whereas the TNF-α (-1031) CT genotype and C allele might be related to periodontitis among Saudi subjects.