Comparative Evaluation of Dental Pulp Tissue Dissolution Ability of Sapindus mukorossi and Sodium Hypochlorite

Background The Sapindus mukorossi (SM) extract has been reported to possess antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant characteristics. However, there is limited research demonstrating the effectiveness of SM in dissolving dental pulp tissue. Methods In an in vitro investigation, pulp tissue samples were extracted from human teeth, collectively weighing 144 mg. These samples were divided equally and activated by manual digital agitation (MDA) or ultrasonic (US) irrigation for three 30-second cycles with a resting period of 45 seconds between each activation. The samples in each group were sub-categorized into a set of three groups based on the treatment received as normal saline (NS), 5.25% sodium hypochlorite (Hypo), or Sapindus mukorossi (SM). Statistical tests, including the student t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), were employed to compare the mean weight differences among the groups, with a significance level set at p ≤ 0.05 for all comparisons. Results The one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and independent t-test revealed significant intergroup differences (p<0.05). Turkey's post hoc analysis indicated significant distinctions, particularly when comparing Hypo with the other two irrigants, namely Hypo-NS (p<0.05) and Hypo-SM (p<0.05) when the MDA method was employed. Considering only the method adopted, the US technique was significantly superior (p=0.04) to the MDA. Conclusion Sapindus mukorossi (SM) demonstrated efficacy in dissolving pulp tissue but was not as effective as sodium hypochlorite (Hypo) which is the standard agent for root canal irrigation. SM to be used as an alternative to Hypo on clinical grounds needs further validation from research.