The aim of this study was to assess the effect of local application of essential oil of Pistacia atlantica kurdica (EOK) gel in treatment of experimentally induced periodontitis in rats and its effect on osteoclastogenic bone markers. Twenty-four male Wistar rats of 250 to 350 g were used in this study and were allocated into four groups. Control negative (without induced periodontitis), control positive (induced experimental periodontitis left without treatment), treatment control (induced experimental periodontitis and treated with Chlorhexidine gel) and EOK treated group (induced experimental periodontitis treated with EOK gel). The animals were sacrificed after 30 days, and the mandibular central incisor and surrounding tissue were dissected from the mandible and further processed for preparing H&E slides. Inflammatory cells, osteoclast cells, and periodontal ligament (PDL) were examined and measured histologically. Finally, the mean concentrations of both markers, receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand (RANKL) and (Interleukin-1β) IL-1β, were analyzed by ELISA. A significant reduction of inflammatory reaction and osteoclast numbers with improvement of PDL and low mean concentrations of RANKL and IL-1β were seen in the EOK treated group in comparison to the control group and the chlorhexidine group as well. The extract showed a protective effect in the healing of periodontitis that had been induced in rats and decreased bone resorption by down regulation of serum RANKL and IL-1β markers.
Keywords: Pistacia atlantica subsp. kurdica; Porphyromonas gingivalis; bone loss; experimental periodontitis; osteoclasts.