Abstract
I. Background: Methotrexate (MTX), a chemotherapeutic agent, is known to cause oral mucositis. Chitosan has been shown to have a protective effect in inflammatory animal models. This research aimed to examine the protective effect of chitosan against oral mucositis caused by MTX. II. Methods and Results: Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into three groups, 8 in each group as follow: Control (saline via oral gavage for 5 days), MTX (60 mg/kg single dose MTX intraperitoneally on 1st day and for following 4 days saline via oral gavage), and MTX+Chitosan(1st day single dose 60 mg/kg MTX intraperitoneally and followed with 200 mg/kg Chitosan via oral gavage for 4 days). After 24 hours of the last dose, animals were euthanised. Blood, tongue, buccal and palatal mucosa tissues were collected. Serum interleukin 1-beta (IL1-β), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-1, and MMP-2) activities, and tissue bcl-2/bax ratio and the expression of caspase-3 (casp-3), and casp-9 were detected. The tissues were also examined histologically. Serum TNF-α, IL1-β, MMP-1 and MMP-2 activities and tissue casp-3 and casp-9 activities significantly increased but the bcl-2/bax ratio significantly decreased in the MTX group compared to the control group. Histologically, diffuse inflammatory cells were observed in MTX group. However, In the MTX + Chitosan group, all parameters approached the values of control group. III. Conclusion: Chitosan has been found to have a protective effect against oral mucosal damage caused by MTX. Thus, it may be a candidate agent against MTX induced oral mucositis.
Protective effect of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge on 5-fluorouracil-induced oral mucositis
