Evaluation of the Effect of a Topical Gel Form of Pistacia Atlantica and Trachyspermum Ammi on Induced Oral Mucositis in Male Golden Hamsters by Bio-Marker Indices and Stereological Assessment

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Oral mucositis (OM) is a common inflammatory complication consequent to chemotherapy or radiotherapy in cancer patients that affects their quality of life. Therefore, finding an effective treatment for OM is always imperative.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this experimental study was to measure the stereological, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant markers of hydro-alcoholic extract of Pistacia Atlantica (P. atlantica) leaves, Trachyspermum Ammi (T. ammi) fruits and their mixture on induced OM in hamsters.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

In Experimental study, OM was generated by the method employed by Tanideh et al., in 90 hamsters, by 5-FU (5-fluorouracil 65 mg/kg, IP). All the animals were divided into 5 groups: control, topical gel base, hydro-alcoholic extract 3% of P. atlantica, hydro-alcoholic extract 1% of T. ammi, and a mixture of the extracts of the two plants. On days 13, 15, and 17, the cheek pouch samples were harvested. Stereological scores and the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), Superoxide dismutase (SOD), myeloperoxidase (MPO), and interleukin-1B (IL-1B) in the pouch tissue were measured.

RESULTS

Lower levels of MPO, MDA, and IL-1B and an increase of SOD level were discovered in the mixture-treated group in comparison with other groups. As an aspect of MDA, no significant differences were detected between the topical gel form of P. atlantica and T. ammi groups on days 13 (p= 0.648), 15 (p= 0.981) and 17 (p= 0.540). No variations of MPO were detected among P. atlantica and T. ammi groups on days 13 (p= 0.159) and 15 (p= 0.694); however, the MPO activity of the T. ammi group was significantly lower than the P. atlantica group on day 17 (5.57±0.56 vs. 6.48±0.35 U/ml, p< .001). The volume density of the epithelium increased in the mixture- treated group (p< 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The results of this study indicated that the mixture of P. atlantica leaves and T. Ammi fruits might be effective in the treatment of OM.

Antimicrobial activity of seven essential oils from Iranian aromatic plants against common causes of oral infections

Background:

Over the past two decades, there has been a growing trend in using oral hygienic products originating from natural resources such as essential oils (EOs) and plant extracts. Seven aromatic plants used in this study are among popular traditional Iranian medicinal plants with potential application in modern medicine as anti-oral infectious diseases.

Objectives:

This study was conducted to determine the chemical composition and antimicrobial activities of essential oils from seven medicinal plants against pathogens causing oral infections.

Materials and Methods:

The chemical compositions of EOs distilled from seven plants were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). These plants included Satureja khuzestanica, S. bachtiarica, Ocimum sanctum, Artemisia sieberi, Zataria multiflora, Carum copticum and Oliveria decumbens. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oils was evaluated by broth micro-dilution in 96 well plates as recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) methods.

Results:

The tested EOs inhibited the growth of examined oral pathogens at concentrations of 0.015-16 µL/mL. Among the examined oral pathogens, Enterococcus faecalis had the highest Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) and Minimum Microbicidal Concentrations (MMCs). Of the examined EOs, S. khuzestanica, Z. multiflora and S. bachtiarica, showed the highest antimicrobial activities, respectively, while Artemisia sieberi exhibited the lowest antimicrobial activity.

Conclusions:

The excellent antimicrobial activities of the tested EOs might be due to their major phenolic or alcoholic monoterpenes with known antimicrobial activities. Hence, these EOs can be possibly used as an antimicrobial agent in treatment and control of oral pathogens.

Inhibitory activity of Myrtus communis oil on some clinically isolated oral pathogens

OBJECTIVES

To determine the antimicrobial activities of Myrtus communis oil (MCO) on some oral pathogens.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Thirty strains of Streptococcus mutans, Aggregatibacteractinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis and 20 strains of Streptococcus pyogenes and Candida albicans isolated from patients with dental caries, periodontal diseases, pharyngitis and oral lesions associated with artificial dentures were used for the antimicrobial activity of MCO. The oil was prepared by hydrodistillation procedures using a Clevenger apparatus. Agar disk diffusion and broth microdilution methods were performed on various concentrations of MCO (3.9-1,000 µg/ml) using all the pathogens isolated.

RESULTS

All isolates were sensitive to MCO at 125-1,000 µg/ml by agar disk diffusion producing inhibition zones of 8.1-41.25 mm in diameter. All of the S. pyogenes, S. mutans and C. albicans strains were sensitive to 62.5 µg/ml while 70% (21/30) of A. actinomycetemcomitans and 66.6% (20/30) of P. gingivalis were resistant to these concentrations. All S. pyogenes and S. mutans strains were sensitive to 31.25 µg/ml. All S. pyogenes strains were sensitive to 15.6 and 7.8 µg/ml of MCO. None of the clinical isolates in this study were sensitive to 3.9 µg/ml or to a lower concentration of oil. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of MCO for S. pyogenes, S. mutans, C. albicans, A.actinomycetemcomitans and P. gingivalis were 29.68 ± 4.8, 31.25 ± 0, 46.9 ± 16, 62.5 ± 0 and 62.5 ± 0 µg/ml, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Data obtained in this study revealed a strong antimicrobial activity of MCO on the tested oral pathogens, and MCO could therefore be useful in the prevention of the related oral infections.

Inhibitory activity of green tea (Camellia sinensis) extract on some clinically isolated cariogenic and periodontopathic bacteria

OBJECTIVE

To determine the in vitro inhibitory activity of green tea extract on some clinically isolated cariogenic and periodontopathic bacteria.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty strains of each of Streptococcusmutans, Aggregatibacteractinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonasgingivalis, and Prevotellaintermedia were isolated from carious teeth and periodontal pockets of patients with dental caries and periodontal diseases. Green tea extract was prepared by aqueous extraction method and diluted from 50 to 1.56 mg/ml. Standard techniques of agar disk diffusion and broth microdilution assays were applied for qualitative and quantitative determinations of antibacterial activity of green tea extract on each isolates.

RESULTS

All clinical isolates of S. mutans (100%) were sensitive to green tea extract at concentrations 6.25, 12.5, 25, and 50 mg/ml producing inhibition zones ranging from 10 to 38 mm. All periodontopathic isolates (A. actinomycetemcomitans, n = 20, P. intermedia, n = 20, and P. gingivalis, n = 20) (100%) tested were sensitive to 12.5, 25, and 50 mg/ml of this extract. The minimal inhibitory concentration of green tea extract for S. mutans was 3.28 ± 0.7 mg/ml and for A. actinomycetemcomitans 6.25, for P. gingivalis and P. intermedia 12.5 mg/ml.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings showed that green tea extract exhibited strong antibacterial activity on S. mutans,A. actinomycetemcomitans,P. gingivalis and P. intermedia and therefore may be used in mouthwashes or dentifrices for prevention of dental caries and periodontal diseases.

Comparing the Effect of Phenytoin Syrup and Triamcinolone Acetonide Ointment on Aphthous Ulcers in Patients with Behcet's Syndrome

BACKGROUND

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) appears to be the most common type of oral ulcers. The lesion is usually self limited but its painful presentation results in some difficulties. Therefore, an efficient therapeutic strategy is required and currently existing therapies seem to be inadequate because of its unclear etiology. Here the therapeutic effect of triamcinolone acetonide ointment as a relatively expensive medication has been compared with phenytoin syrup on aphthous ulcers in patients with Behcet's syndrome.

METHODS

Thirty out of 60 our patients with Behcet's syndrome were randomly treated by phenytoin syrup and the remaining were advised to use 0.1% triamcinolone acetonide ointment. After a week, they were visited again to determine the status of aphthous ulcers.

RESULT

Positive response in the triamcinolone acetonide group and phenytoin group was 86.7% and 53.3%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The effectiveness of triamcinolone acetonide ointment was more than phenytoin on aphthous ulcers in patients with Behcet's syndrome.

Inhibitory activity of garlic (Allium sativum) extract on multidrug-resistant Streptococcus mutans

Garlic (Allium sativum) extract has been known to have inhibitory activity on various pathogenic bacteria, viruses and fungi. The objective of present investigation was to study in vitro inhibitory activity of garlic extract on multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of Streptococcus mutans isolated from human carious teeth. Filter sterilized aqueous extract of garlic was prepared and used in the present study. For isolation of S. mutans, extracted human carious teeth were cultured in Todd-Hewit broth and Mitis-Salivarius-Bacitracin agar. S. mutans was characterized by colony morphology, biochemical tests and other conventional bacteriological procedures. Disk sensitivity tests and broth dilution methods were used to determine antibiotic sensitivity profile and inhibitory activity of garlic extract on S. mutans isolated from carious teeth. Of 105 carious teeth tested, 92 (87.6%) isolates of S. mutans were recovered, among which 28 (30.4%) were MDR since they were resistant to four or more antibiotics. The highest rate of resistance was observed for tetracycline (30.4%) and least resistance (0%) to teichoplanin and vancomycin while 22.8% and 23.9% of the isolates were resistant to penicillin and amoxicillin, respectively. Chlorhexidine minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for MDR and non-MDR S. mutans varied from 2 to 16 microg ml(-1) and from 0.25 to 1 microg ml(-1), respectively (P<0.05). All isolates, MDR and non-MDR of S. mutans were sensitive to garlic extract with the MIC ranging from 4 to 32 microg ml(-1). Considering in vitro data obtained in the present study, mouthwashes or toothpaste containing optimum concentration of garlic extract could be used for prevention of dental caries.