EFFECT OF CURCUMIN ON EPITHELIALIZATION AND COLLAGENIZATION IN INFLAMMATION

Abstract

Mouth ulcers are common oral lesions. In Pakistan oral hygiene conditions are poor, standard facilities are not available, medications are relatively expensive and multi-drug resistance is a threat to public health. Turmeric is one of the natures most powerful healer. An experimental study was designed and conducted in Post Graduate Medical Institute, Lahore to evaluate the role of curcumin on epithelialization and collagenization in inflammation of buccal mucosa of rabbits. Forty adult rabbits were used and divided into 2 groups as A and B of 20 each. Each group was further subdivided in two groups of 10 each depending on the day of sacrifice i.e. 5th and 7th day after infliction of wound on buccal mucosa. After anesthesia, a circular 3mm wide and 1mm deep excisional wound was created on the right buccal mucosa adjacent to maxillary molar teeth of each rabbit, using a punch biopsy tool. Group A animals were left without any treatment while the animals of group B were given 30mg/kg body weight of curcumin daily by oral gavage. The histological analysis revealed that animals treated with curcumin experienced faster epithelialization and collagenization than that in the control group, thereby demonstrating the effectiveness of curcumin as anti-inflammatory agent in inflammation.