Efficacy of Extract Derived from Desiccated Carrot (Daucus carota subsp.sativus) against Oral Microflora: An In-vitro Study

Introduction: Fixed orthodontic appliances with its various components cause inaccessible areas for plaque and make tooth cleaning difficult. Several chemical formulations have been used for mechanical cleaning, but due to their unpleasant side-effects researchers now concentrate on herbal drugs. Aim: To determine the antibacterial effect of carrot extract on Lactobacillus, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Streptococcus mutans. Materials and Methods: This was an in-vitro study conducted to determine the antibacterial activity of Daucus carota subsp. sativus (carrot) extract against Lactobacillus, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Streptococcus mutans. A 500 grams of healthy and mature carrots were cleaned, washed and peeled then dried in a hot air oven at 40°C for 5 days and then ground. Ground powder was mixed with distilled water and ethanol to obtain the aqueous and ethanolic extract respectively. The antimicrobial activity of these extracts was studied using well diffusion methods in culture plates under three different concentrations. Antimicrobial activity was studied by measuring the area of inhibition. Cytotoxic activity of the samples was also assessed. Kruskal-Wallis test was performed to compare antimicrobial activity of aqueous and ethanolic extract mouthwash. Results: Aqueous mouthwash showed moderate antimicrobial activity without statistically significant difference against S.mutans (p-value=0.06), Lactobacillus sp. (p-value=0.7), or A. Actinomycetemcomitans (p-value=0.16) microbes, at three different concentrations. Ethanolic extract had moderate antimicrobial activity against all the three microorganisms, but more significant at 100 microlitre concentrations with a p-value of 0.03 against S. mutans. The cytotoxic effects of the ethanolic and aqueous mouthwashes were less cytotoxic at minimal concentrations. Conclusion: Extract derived from Daucus carota was proven to possess antimicrobial activity against S.mutans, A.actinomycetemcomitans and Lactobacillus. Further research is required to advocate its efficacy at lower concentrations.