Microbiologic Evaluation of Matricaria and Chlorhexidine against E. faecalis and C. albicans

To evaluate the antimicrobial activity of different concentrations of Matricaria chamomilla and Chlorhexidine gel against Candida albicans and Enterococcus faecalis.

The agar diffusion test was used to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of 15%, 25% Matricaria chamomilla in aq. base and 2% chlorhexidine gel against C. albicans (ATCC 24433) and E. faecalis (ATCC 24212) strains. Vancomycin was used as the positive control for E. faecalis and fluconazole for C. albicans . The agar plates were incubated at 37°C for 48 h after which the zone of inhibition were measured separately for each material. Data thus obtained were statistically analyzed using the Wilcoxon rank-order test.

2% chlorhexidine showed maximum inhibitory zone for C. albicans (33.26 mm) and E. faecalis (24.54 mm). 25% Matricaria showed zones of 24.16 mm and 20.62 mm for C. albicans and E. faecalis, respectively. 15% Matricaria did not show any antimicrobial activity (0 mm).

The results of the current in vitro study suggest that 25% Matricaria can be used as an antimicrobial agent, but it is less effective than 2% chlorhexidine gluconate gel against C. albicans and E. faecalis. Matricaria at a lesser concentration of 15% aq. base is ineffective against both the microorganisms.