An in vitro study of the effects of Yarrow, Chamomile and Rhubarb herbal extracts on candida albicans and common oral bacteria

Herbal mouth washes are part of the broad spectrum of herbal medicine that is widely used in Iran, especially in recent years. The aim of this experimental study was to evaluate the antifungal and antibacterial effects of Yarrow, Chamomile and Rhubarb and to compare them with Iranian and foreign 0.2 % chlorohexidine mouth washes. Microbial samples were purchased from PTCC and herbal extracts were obtained from Gol daroye Isfahan Co. Iranian chlorhexidine was bought from a pharmacy and foreign chlorhexidine (Made in UK) from the Noor center. Bacterial inhibition zone halo was measured and agar dilution was used to evaluate the herbal extracts. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined for all specimens. A validity test was administered for each of the microorganisms and the dilution of the extracts were confirmed in the laboratory. Data were subjected to statistical analysis using repeated-measure ANOVA. The three extracts revealed different antifungal and antimicrobial effects. The highest to lowest antimicrobial effects were seen in Rhubarb, Yarrow and Chamomile, respectively. The antifungal effects were weak in all three tested extracts. A significant difference was observed between the antimicrobial and antifungal effects of the 3 extracts and the 2 chlorhexidine solutions (p<0.01). The antifungal effects of the UK-made chlorhexidine was higher than the Iranian chlorohexidine, and both were higher than the 3 tested extracts. No significant difference in antifungal effects was found between the two studied chlorhexidines. The antibacterial effects of Rhubarb were higher than Yarrow and Chamomile. Further investigation, using more specific laboratory methods along with clinical evaluation is recommended.