AN INVITRO COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF ANTICANDIDAL HERBS (GINGER & TURMERIC) ON STREPTOCOCCUS MUTANS

Aim: To comparatively evaluate the antimicrobial effect of turmeric and ginger extracts on Streptococcus mutans in in-vitro conditions. Material & Method: An in-vitro experimental study was conducted in a laboratory setting. Ethanolic extract of Ginger and Turmeric was prepared separately by cold masseration technique. The extract of each was then diluted with an inert solvent, Dimethyl Formamide, to obtain 5 different concentrations (2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10%) of each. 0.2% chlorhexidine was used as a positive control and dimethyl formamide was used as negative control. The different extracts, along with controls, were then subjected to microbiological investigation to determine which gave a wider zone of inhibition against streptococcus mutans. The zone of inhibition was measured in millimeters. Results: Turmeric extracts presented the largest zone of inhibition 33mm at the concentration of 8%, while Ginger extract showed a zone of inhibition of 34mm at the concentration of 10%. Conclusion: Ethanolic extract of Turmeric demonstrated antimicrobial activity against Strptococcus Mutans at a lower concentration than that of Ginger. Keywords: Ginger, Turmeric, Streptococcus Mutans.