Effect of nano-chitosan and nano-doxycycline gel on healing of induced oral ulcer in rat model: histological and immunohistochemical study

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of nano-chitosan and nano-doxycycline gel on healing of oral ulcers.

Methods: In this study, 37 rats were used, four of which acted as normal controls (group 1), while the remaining 33 were distributed into three groups, each with 11 rats. Oral ulcers were chemically induced in the labial mucosa, after which (group 2), ulcer group received no treatment, (group 3) received nano-chitosan gel, and (group 4) received nano-doxycycline gel. They were scarified after 14 days and histologically examined as well as immunostaining for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA).

Results: The best clinical and histologic healing results were shown in nano-chitosan group, followed by nano-doxycycline group, while the ulcer group showed incomplete healing. This was confirmed by immunostaining as area % of VEGF and number PCNA were the highest in nano-chitosan group followed by nano-doxycycline group, then ulcer group.

Conclusion: Both nano-chitosan and nano-doxycycline gels improved the healing of chemically induced oral ulcers; however, nano-chitosan exhibited better healing outcomes.

Clinical relevance: Nano-chitosan and nano-doxycycline gels are both viable and safe alternatives to current ulcer treatments.

Keywords: Chitosan; Doxycycline; Nano technology; Oral ulcer; Wound healing.