Antibacterial Efficiency of Chia Seed Oil as an Intra-Canal Medication Against Enterococcus Faecalis Biofilm: An In Vitro Study

Chemo-mechanical endodontic treatment aims to eliminate microbes from the root canal. Applying intra-canal medicaments between visits enhances the disinfection process. Herbal compounds are a new medicinal trend. The study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of chia seed oil when used as an intracanal medicament against E. faecalis. The antibacterial efficiency of chia seed oil against E. faecalis was assessed in two sections using different concentrations. The first section was done on the agar, using two methods: agar diffusion and vaporization.The second section was done on the extracted roots contaminated with E. faecalis for 21 days to form biofilms and includes two methods: direct contact and vaporization. Bacterial swabs were taken before and after medication for 3 and 7 days. The canal contents were swabbed using paper points kept for 1 minute in the root canal, and the collected samples were diluted and cultivated on blood agar. Survival fractions were determined by calculating the number of colony-forming units on culture medium after 24 hours. The oil's minimum inhibitory concentration and minimal bactericidal concentration against E. faecalis were determined using the micro-broth dilution method. The tested oil demonstrated antibacterial efficacy in different concentrations and levels. The MBC was 45 μl/ml. Tricresol formalin induced powerful antibacterial action, while calcium hydroxide exhibited less effective antibacterial action as compared to 50% chia seed oil on extracted roots. Within the limits of this study, chia seed oil exhibits strong antibacterial activity against E. faecalis biofilm that has been cultivated in the root canals.