Evaluation of holy basil mouthwash as an adjunctive plaque control agent in a four day plaque regrowth model

Abstract

Objectives: Various antibacterial and antiplaque agents are used in chemical plaque control but none are without their shortcomings. Chlorhexidine considered a gold standard, also has an array of side effects. To overcome these, numerous herbal extracts have been tried and tested and one among them is holy basil. The present study evaluated the antibacterial efficacy of holy basil in vitro against some periodontopathogens and its antiplaque effect in vivo. Study Design: Thirty periodontally healthy volunteers were randomly divided into three groups and refrained from all mechanical oral hygiene measures for 4 days and used one of the randomly assigned mouthwash (1- chlorhexidine; 2- holy basil; and 3- sterile water [placebo]) twice daily. The Plaque Index (PI) was assessed at days 0 and 5. Aqueous extract of holy basil was tested against Prevotella intermedia (P. intermedia) and Fusobacterium nucleatum (F.nucleatum). Results: Holy basil extract showed inhibition of both the tested periodontopathogens (P.intermedia and F.nucleatum) at various concentrations. In all groups, the PI increased from baseline to day 5. There was a statistically significant difference (p < .05) between the chlorhexidine and placebo rinse and the holy basil and placebo rinse, but no statistically significant difference was found between the chlorhexidine and holy basil rinse with respect to PI. Conclusions: These results indicate that the holy basil mouthwash has an antiplaque effect and is efficacious against P. intermedia and F. nucleatum strains in vitro. Hence holy basil mouthwash may have potential as an antiplaque mouthwash with prophylactic benefits. Key words:Antibacterial agent, basil, Fusobacterium nucleatum, mouthwashes, Prevotella intermedia.

Effectiveness of herbal oral care products in reducing dental plaque & gingivitis – a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Due to an increased awareness of indigenous medical practices in various parts of the world, the use of "herbal" medicine has engendered interest and facilitated the growth of complementary and alternative therapies in health care promotion. Herbal ingredients have been present in oral care products, more commonly in South Asian countries, for some time [7][8][9]. The most common herbal ingredients to be incorporated into oral care products (e.g., toothpaste and mouth rinse) are sanguinarine, propolis, Azadirachta indica (neem), charcoal, clove, and miswak [10].…”

Determination of efficacy of curcumin and Tulsi extracts as local drugs in periodontal pocket reduction: A clinical and microbiological study

“…Gupta et al [ 27 ] in their study compared the effectiveness of Tulsi extract with gold standard chlorhexidine on PI and gingival inflammation concluded that Tulsi extract was equally effective as 0.12% chlorhexidine mouthwash. Hosamane et al [ 28 ] in their study found that Tulsi extract was effective in inhibiting growth of P. intermedia and F. nucleatum in vitro , they used Tulsi extract as mouth wash and reported statistically significant reduction in plaque score in groups where Tulsi was used as mouth wash in comparison to sterile water and showed similar reduction in plaque scores when compared to 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthwash indicating that Tulsi is as effective antiplaque agent as chlorhexidine mouthwash which is known for its antiplaque activity. These studies compared and concluded that Tulsi as mouthwash is as effective as chlorhexidine mouthwash; thus, giving scope for the use of Tulsi as LDD agent.…”

Efficacy of Ocimum sanctum, Aloe vera and chlorhexidine mouthwash on gingivitis: A randomized controlled comparative clinical study

“…Another study conducted by Hosamane et al . in an in vitro model,[18] a significant reduction with respect to PI in a 4 days plaque regrowth model in the O . sanctum group was reported.…”