Abstract
The essential oils of basil leaf (Ocimum basilicum) have several active components namely linalool, eugenol, methyl chavicol, methyl eugenol, geraniol, geranial and neral. These components have been proven possessing an antibacterial effect on anaerobic bacteria. Enterococcus faecalis is anaerobic bacteria which is commonly found in root canals that are difficult to be eradicated because it has a high resistance to some antiseptics. The purpose of this study was to determine the differences of inhibitory effect of basil leaf essential oil (Ocimum basilicum) with parachlorophenol campher mentol (ChKm). The type of study was a pure experimental used disc diffusing testing technique. Basil leaf essential oil was made by distillation process to obtain its essential oils with concentration of 40.000 ppm and the test bacteria used was Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212. The test was performed by measuring the inhibiton’s zones formed around the discus conducted for 5 consecutive days. The result shows that the mean size of the inhibition’s zone around the 40,000 ppm basil essential oil disc is 11.29 mm, while the average inhibition’s zone around ChKm is 24.27 mm. Data were analyzed by using ANNAVA test and Tukey test demonstrated that there is no difference in inhibition’s zone between basil essential oil with concentration of 40.000 ppm and ChKm. It can be concluded that the essential oil of basil leaf (Ocimum basilicum) has the same inhibitory effect as ChKm toward Enterococcus faecalis.