This study was designed to determine the effect of Calendula officinalis flowers extract mouthwash as oral gel on radiation-induced oropharyngeal mucositis (OM) in patients with head-and-neck cancer. Forty patients with neck and head cancers under radiotherapy or concurrent chemoradiotherapy protocols were randomly assigned to receive either 2% calendula extract mouthwash or placebo (20 patients in each group). Patients were treated with telecobalt radiotherapy at conventional fractionation (200 cGy/fraction, five fractions weekly, 30–35 fractions within 4–7 weeks). The oropharyngeal mucositis was evaluated by two clinical investigators (a radiation oncologist and a dentist), using the oral mucositis assessment scale (OMAS). Trying to find out the possible mechanism of action of the treatment, total antioxidant, polyphenol and flavonoid contents, and quercetin concentration of the mouth wash were measured. Calendula mouthwash significantly decreased the intensity of OM compared to placebo at week 2 (score: 5.5 vs. 6.8, p = 0.019), week 3 (score: 8.25 vs. 10.95, p < 0.0001) and week 6 (score: 11.4 vs. 13.35, p = 0.031). Total antioxidant, polyphenol and flavonoid contents and quercetin concentration of the 2% extract were 2353.4 ± 56.5 μM, 313.40 ± 6.52 mg/g, 76.66 ± 23.24 mg/g, and 19.41 ± 4.34 mg/l, respectively. Calendula extract gel could be effective on decreasing the intensity of radiotherapy- induced OM during the treatment and antioxidant capacity may be partly responsible for the effect.

In conclusion, high leptin levels and alteration in acute phase proteins in obese patients may exaggerate the inflammation status. As inflammation has the potential to increase the susceptibility of the patients to metastasis development, it is necessary to decline its rate.

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Background and purpose of the studyThe aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cinnamaldehyde on mucositis and salivary total antioxidant capacity in gamma-irradiated rats.MethodsThe study was conducted on 28 male Wistar rats, 7–11 weeks of age and 160 ± 20 g body weight, divided into four groups of seven rats each. The first group receiving normal saline (S), the second group receiving saline and gamma radiation (SR), the third group receiving 50 mg/kg cinnamaldehyde 98% (C), and the fourth group receiving 50 mg/kg cinnamaldehyde 98% and gamma radiation (CR). SR and CR groups were exposed to 15 Gy gamma irradiation for 7 min and 39 s. Rats were intraperitoneally injected each day during the 10-day period of the experiment, and their tongues and lips were examined to assess the incidence and severity of mucositis. The saliva samples were taken from the animals three times on day zero, six, and ten.ResultsThe mean mucositis incidence appeared to be delayed in the CR than the SR group (P = 0.024), and the severity was significantly higher in the SR compared to the CR group;the difference was statistically significant on the second day (P = 0.027). In the evaluation of salivary antioxidant capacity, salivary antioxidant concentration was significantly higher in the C than the S, SR, and CR groups on the tenth day of the experiment (p <0.05).ConclusionThe clinical effects in the CR group seem to be due to antioxidant, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory effects of cinnamaldehyde; this conclusion, however, requires further investigations. Delayed antioxidant effect in the CR group was evident in ip cinnamaldehyde injection, the exact mechanism is not clear.

Objective:Green tea extract (GTE) was shown to be effective in preserving periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PDLFs) of avulsed teeth. This study aimed at determining the potential of GTE in preserving the viability of PDLFs comparing with different storage media.Materials and Methods:Periodontal ligament cells were obtained from freshly extracted healthy impacted third molars and cultured in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM). Cell viability was determined by storing the cells in seven media; DMEM, tap water, Hank's balanced salt solution (HBSS), whole milk, hypotonic sucrose solution, GTE, and GTE + sucrose for 1, 2, 4, and 24 h at 37°C using tetrazolium salt-based colorimetric (3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay. Statistical analysis was performed by one-way analysis of variance and post hoc tests.Results:GTE showed significantly higher protective effect than HBSS at 2, 4, and 24 h (P = 0.009, P = 0.02, P = 0.016), DMED at 2 h (P = 0.003), and milk at 4 h (P = 0.039).Conclusion:Although with undesirable osmolality and pH, GTE had a good ability in preserving the PDLFs comparing with other studied media.