The aim of this study is to compare the cleaning effectiveness of Triphala and Green Tea Polyphenol to 2.5% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) solution as an intracanal irrigant for the removal of the smear layer. Forty extracted, single-rooted,mature, permanent, human teeth were allocated at random into one of three experimental groups of ten teeth and two control groups of five teeth. For each tooth, the pulp chamber was accessed and the canal prepared using K-type files and Gates-Glidden burs,using

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... a step-back technique; the apical stop was prepared to a size 40. Each canal was subsequently irrigated with one of the following solutions: distilled water (as a negative control), 2.5% NaOCl + 17% ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) (as a positive control), Triphala or GTP or 2.5% NaOCl. Each tooth was split longitudinally and prepared for examination by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).The quantity of smear layer remaining on the three levels of each canal (coronal, middle and apical) was examined using magnifications of 1000 and 2000·.The data were analysed using nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U-tests.The most effective removal of smear layer occurred with the use of NaOCl with a final rinse of 17% EDTA (negative control) followed by the use of a Triphala. Triphala was found to be significantly more effective than distilled water and GTP (P < 0.008).The use of a 2.5% NaOCl solution alone, without EDTA and that of GTP, was found to have only minor effects. There was no statistical difference between distilled water, 2.5% NaOCl and GTP. The efficacy of Triphala to remove smear layer was superior to NaOCl alone but less than NaOCl combined with EDTA.