Exploring the Antimicrobial Properties of Herbal Nanoparticle Coated Gutta-percha against Enterococcus faecalis: An in vitro Study

Introduction: Enterococcus faecalis is a persistent endodontic pathogen commonly associated with root canal failures. In contrast to normal gutta-percha (GP), the study’s objective was to evaluate and compare the antibacterial efficacy of GP coated with nano curcumin and nano Azadirachta indica against E. faecalis . Materials and Methods: Nano-curcumin and nano- A. indica were manually coated onto International Organization for Standardization size 25, 4% tapered GP cones. Three groups were established: conventional GP, nano- A. indica -coated GP, and nano-curcumin-coated GP. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) tests and colony-forming unit (CFU) counts against E. faecalis using a colony counter were used to assess each group’s antimicrobial efficacy. Results: Nanocurcumin and nano A. indica were found to have MICs of 27 mg/mL and 27 mg/mL, respectively. The highest percentage reduction in CFU count was observed in the nano curcumin group, followed by the nano- A. indica group, while the conventional GP group showed the least reduction. Conclusions: The GP coated with nano curcumin demonstrated the strongest antibacterial action against E. faecalis , with nano A. indica coming in second. Conventional GP demonstrated the least efficacy. These findings suggest that nanoparticle-coated GP may enhance intracanal disinfection, potentially improving endodontic treatment outcomes.