Antibacterial Activity of Phytochemical Extracts and Endophytic Fungi of Carapa Guianensis Against Enterococcus Faecalis in Endodontic Infections An In Vitro Study

The objective of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of phytochemical extracts and endophytic fungi of Carapa guianensis against Enterococcus faecalis. Carapa guianensis leaves and stems were collected to obtain phytochemical extracts and fungal metabolites and evaluated for in vitro antibacterial activity against E. faecalis using the disc diffusion method and dentin blocks with bacterial biofilm.

Thirty dentin blocks were prepared and contaminated for 60 days with E. faecalis. The specimens were randomly divided into 6 experimental groups according to the test solution used: G1 – hexane stem extract of Carapa guianensis; G2 – methanol stem extract of Carapa guianensis; G3 – methanol leaf extract of Carapa guianensis; G4 – ethyl acetate extract of the endophytic fungus Penicillium isolated from Carapa guianensis; G5 – negative control, with no addition of bacterial inoculum; G6 – positive control.

Bacterial growth was analyzed by spectrophotometry after 14 days of direct contact between the extracts and dentin blocks. The hexane-stem, methanol-stem, methanol-leaf, and ethyl-acetate endophytic fungus Penicillium extracts inhibited bacterial growth in 100% of the samples.

The present study demonstrated the antibacterial potential of phytochemical extracts and endophytic fungi of Carapa guianensis against E. faecalis.