Introduction:

Recurrent infections in the root canal system are mainly attributed to the presence of species such as Enterococcus faecalis. It is therefore necessary to study substances other than sodium hypochlorite which may be used as irrigants for the canals, thus improving the success rate of the treatment.

Objective:

Identify the chemical composition of essential oil from Origanum vulgare L. (oregano) and evaluate its antibacterial activity against E. faecalis ATCC 29212.

Methods:

An in vitro experimental study was conducted. Origanum vulgare L. was collected from the province of Tarata, Tacna, Peru. The essential oil was obtained by steam entrainment, and a sample was subjected to gas chromatography / mass spectrometry in a QP2010 chromatograph (Ultra Shimadzu) equipped with a DB-5 MS column to identify its constituents. Antibacterial activity of the essential oil was evaluated by the brain heart agar disk diffusion method at concentrations ranging from 2 261 to 27 132 mg/µl. The software EPi InfoTM was used to estimate the repetitions. Additionally, identification was performed of the minimum inhibitory concentration and the minimum bactericidal concentration of the essential oil. The data were subjected to descriptive analysis and one-factor ANOVA was performed to compare the mean values of inhibition haloes at the different concentrations. A significance level of p < 0.05 was established.

Results:

Twenty constituents were identified. The main compounds were .alpha.-pinene (24.44%) and 1,6-Ocatien-3-ol,3,7,7dimethyl (12.52%). E. Faecalis was very sensitive (++) and extremely sensitive (+++) to concentrations above 15 827 mg/µl of the essential oil of Origanum vulgare L. All the concentrations inhibited bacterial growth, and concentrations above 14 018 mg/µl were bactericidal.

Conclusions:

The main constituents of the essential oil of Origanum vulgare L. were .alpha.-pinene and cis-.beta.-terpineol. Additionally, the essential oil was shown to display considerable antibacterial activity against Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212.

        · |     · |     · ( pdf )