Comparative Evaluation On The Cytotoxicity Of Moringa Oleifera Leaf Extract and Calcium Hydroxide On Periodontal Ligament Fibroblast Cells

Introduction: Intracanal medicaments are placed between appointments to eliminate those microorganisms that persist after instrumentation. Herbal alternatives to chemical medicaments are being extensively researched owing to their low toxicity, reduced side effects, medicinal value and better patient tolerance. Moringa Oleifera is one such herb with promising antibacterial efficacy. Hence the present study was conducted to evaluate the cytotoxicity of Moringa Oleifera on periodontal ligament fibroblast cells. Materials and Methods: The leaf extracts of Moringa Oleifera were obtained using the Soxhlet extraction method and its cytotoxicity on periodontal ligament fibroblast cells was tested using the MTT colorimetric assay. Statistical analysis of the result was performed using the ANOVA test. Results: Percentage of cell viability with 25μg/ml of Moringa Oleifera was 94.8 %, with 50μg/ml of Moringa Oleifera it was 89.8%, with 75μg/ml of Moringa Oleifera it was 84.4 %, with 100μg/ml of Moringa Oleifera it was 76.8%. Calcium hydroxide in concentration of 5mg/ml had viability of 27.1%. Conclusion: The results of the present study revealed that 25μg/ml concentration of Moringa Oleifera leaf extract was least cytotoxic and the toxicity increased with the increase in concentration of the extract. Moringa Oleifera leaf extract, it could be a potential herb that could be further investigated for its use as an intracanal medicament.