ABSTRACT
Objective:To compare the efficacy of camphorated paramonochlorophenol to a mixture of honey and mustard oil as a root canal medicament. Design: An in vitro comparative study. Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out in collaboration with microbiology department of Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi and was conducted from Aug-2001 to Nov-2001. Materials and A sample of 90 infected root canal contents of decayed teeth was collected from Operative Dentistry Department of Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry, Rawalpindi. Each sample was inoculated aerobically as well as an-aerobically. Organisms were identified and isolates were preserved and refrigerated for experiments. Medicaments were procured and prepared in comparable dilutions. Minimum inhibitory concentration of both medicaments was compared by susceptibility testing against already preserved isolates. The tested mixture [honey and mustard oil equal v/v] demonstrated antibacterial activity against all isolates at concentration of 12.5%[mean of effective conc.17.11%] while that of camphorated paramonochlorophenol was comparably at higher concentration 3.1%[mean of effective conc. 3.35%]. However the mixture revealed better results than that of individual agents, which was 12.5% to 25% respectively. Mixture [honey and mustard oil] was effective, viable alternate endodontic medicament