Antimicrobial activity of Triphala on Lactobacilli and Candida albicans: An in vitro study

Aim: To determine whether Triphala (Terminalia bellerica, Terminalia chebula, Emblica officinalis) extract has an antimicrobial activity against Lactobacilli and Candida albicans. Materials and Methods: Ethanolic extract of Triphala was prepared by using the cold extraction method. The extract was diluted with an inert solvent, dimethylformamide, to obtain 15 different concentrations of the extract. 0.2% chlorhexidine was used as a positive control and dimethylformamide was used as a negative control. The extract, along with the controls, was subjected to microbiological investigation to determine which concentration among the 15 different concentrations of the extract gave a wider inhibition zone against Lactobacilli and C. albicans. The zones of inhibition were measured in millimeters using a Vernier caliper. Results and Conclusions: Triphala extract demonstrated antimicrobial property against Lactobacilli and C. albicans with maximum zone of inhibition of 22 mm at 6% and 20 mm at 9%