Introduction: The primary objective of root canal therapy is to eliminate microorganisms and their by-products from the root canal system through mechanical debridement and antimicrobial irrigation. Enterococcus faecalis is a resistant microorganism frequently implicated in persistent periapical infections. Given their antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and biocompatible properties, herbal extracts are being considered as potential alternatives to conventional irrigants. This study compared the antibacterial efficacy of ethanolic extracts of Curcuma longa (curcumin), Moringa oleifera, and 2.5% sodium hypochlorite against biofilm of E. faecalis.

Materials and Methods: Forty-nine extracted human single-rooted premolars were prepared using the ProTaper rotary system up to F3 and sterilized. Teeth were randomly assigned to three experimental groups (n=15) and two control groups (positive and negative, n=2). All except the negative control were exposed to E. faecalis for 48 hours to allow biofilm formation. The canals were irrigated with the respective solutions, and samples were collected using sterile paper points. Bacterial cultures were incubated on agar plates , all colony-forming units (CFUs) were manually counted. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis exact test.

Results: The positive control group showed a mean of 10⁵ CFU/ml, while the negative control had none. All three experimental groups demonstrated significantly lower CFUs than the positive control (p=0.001), with no significant difference among them (p=0.999).

Conclusion: All tested irrigants effectively eliminated E. faecalis immature biofilm, suggesting herbal extracts may serve as viable alternatives to sodium hypochlorite.