Assessment of the Antibacterial Activity of a Novel Sea Buckthorn Medicament Against Enterococcus faecalis in Infected Root Canals

Abstract

Background: Effective elimination of persistent microorganisms is essential for successful endodontic treatment. Enterococcus faecalis is frequently associated with persistent root canal infections, creating a need for effective alternative intracanal medicaments. This study evaluated the antibacterial efficacy of a novel Sea Buckthorn medicament against E. faecalis and compared its activity with commonly used intracanal medicaments.Materials and Methods: A total of 60 specimens were allocated equally into five groups (n = 12). Group I received the Novel Sea Buckthorn medicament, Group II received 2% chlorhexidine gel, Group III received calcium hydroxide, Group IV served as the infected untreated positive control, and Group V served as the uninfected negative control. Bacterial reduction was assessed by quantifying E. faecalis counts expressed as log₁₀ CFU/mL. Bacterial viability was additionally evaluated using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Intergroup differences were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey Honestly Significant Difference (HSD) post-hoc testing, while intragroup changes were assessed by comparing pre- and post-treatment bacterial counts.Results: Post-treatment E. faecalis counts were 2.08 ± 0.19, 1.87 ± 0.14, and 3.02 ± 0.25 log₁₀ CFU/mL in the Sea Buckthorn, chlorhexidine, and calcium hydroxide groups, respectively, compared with 4.53 ± 0.15 log₁₀ CFU/mL in the infected positive control. A significant difference was observed among the groups (F = 897.483, p < 0.001). The Sea Buckthorn and chlorhexidine groups did not differ significantly (p = 0.226). Both demonstrated significant reductions from baseline (p = 0.001). Confocal laser microscopy also showed significant differences in bacterial viability among the groups (F = 688.872, p < 0.001), with no significant difference between Sea Buckthorn and chlorhexidine (p = 0.056).Conclusion: The Novel Sea Buckthorn medicament demonstrated substantial antibacterial activity against E. faecalis, with efficacy statistically comparable to 2% chlorhexidine gel and greater bacterial reduction than calcium hydroxide. Further investigation is warranted to establish its clinical applicability as an intracanal medicament.