Biocompatibility of Acemannan Paste as A Root Canal Filler and Its Antibacterial Activity against Enterococcus faecalis in Rat Teeth Model

Aloe vera together with its Acemannan component has been shown to possess antimicrobial activity against resistant microorganisms such as Enterococcus faecalis found in pulp chambers.  This study aimed to determine the biocompatibility of Acemannan as a root canal filler and its antibacterial activity against Enterococcus faecalis. The study employed an experimental design with a post-test-only control design. Acemannan paste was prepared from a mixture of Acemannan powder and saline. The antibacterial activity of Acemannan paste was evaluated using the tube dilution and streak plate methods. The biocampactibility of Acemannan paste as a root canal filler was determined by evaluating its anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activity in vivo by measuring tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and Caspase-9 expressions in periapical tissues of the incisor of Wistar rats following the administration of Acemannan paste for 7 days. Results showed that Acemannan possess antibacterial activity against Enterococcus faecalis with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 300 μg/mL and 400 μg/mL, respectively.  Acemannan paste exhibited potent anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activity against pathological cells by significantly (p < 0.05) decreasing TNF-α expression, and increasing caspase-9 expression in periapical tissues of incisor teeth of Wistar rats. Findings from this study indicate that Acemannan paste with its potent antibacterial, anti-inflammatory activities has potential to be used as a root canal filler.