Assessment of Antimicrobial Efficacy of Saffron - Withania Somnifera Herbal gel Against oral ulcers- An Invitro Study

Abstract

Background: An ulceration is a full-thickness epithelial break. This may cause discomfort and make it harder to speak, eat and drink. It might be difficult to identify oral ulcerative lesions due to the wide range of presenting symptoms and causal variables. There are both systemic and local causes that might lead to ulcer development

Aim and Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of herbal extracts of saffron, withania somnifera, Dry ginger, Tulsi as an antimicrobial agent in oral ulcers

Materials and methodology: Mueller Hinton agar plates were prepared and sterilized using an autoclave at 121°C for 15-20 minutes. After sterilization, the bacterial suspension was made to spread evenly onto the agar plates using sterile cotton swabs. Wells of 9mm diameter were created in the agar plates using a sterile polystyrene tip. The wells were then filled with different concentrations of withania somnifera, dry ginger, tulsi  and saffron. The plates were incubated at 37°C for 24 hours and 48 hours for fungal cultures and then antimicrobial properties were evaluated.

Results: Antimicrobial activity of the gel was highest against E.coli when the amount of concentration increased from 25 ug/ml to 100 ug/ml while the lowest antimicrobial activity was against Streptococcus aureus.

Conclusion: This study gives as a clear understanding that the naturally occurring constituents of medicinal herbs will be able to resolve oral ulcers irrespective of their etiology. Hence, herbal medicines can be used as an adjunct to synthetic drugs available commercially.