Assessment of Antimicrobial Activity of Various Concentrations of Commercially Available Tulsi (Ocimum Sanctum) Powder against Streptococcus Mutans

Aim: To assess the antimicrobial activity of various concentrations of Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) extract, obtained from commercially available Tulsi powder, against Streptococcus mutans. Setting and design: Experimental design, in vitro study, Lab setting. Materials and methods: Ethanolic extract of Tulsi was prepared by the cold extraction method. The extract was then diluted with an inert solvent, dimethyl formamide, to obtain 7 different concentrations (2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7% and 8%). 0.2% chlorhexidine was used as a positive control and dimethyl formamide was used as a negative control. The extract, along with the controls, was then subjected to microbiological investigation to determine which concentration among the 7 different concentrations of the extract gave a wider inhibition zone against Streptococcus mutans. The zones of inhibition were measured in millimetres using a vernier caliper. Results: At the 6% concentration of Tulsi extract, a zone of inhibition of 27 millimetres (mm) was obtained at a volume of 50 µl. This was the widest zone of inhibition observed among all the 7 different concentrations of Tulsi that were investigated. Conclusion: Tulsi extract demonstrated an antimicrobial property against Streptococcus mutans and can be used as a mouthwash. This could be further confirmed by in-vivo studies.