Effect of vitamin B17 (amygdalin) found in apricot kernel on the irradiated salivary glands of albino rats.

BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy is used as a treatment for head and neck cancers but increases the risk of salivary gland hypofunction. The management strategies include pharmacotherapies such as salivary substitutes and sialagogues which are largely temporary. In this study, we examine the regenerative potential of vitamin B17 to improve salivary gland function. OBJECTIVES: The present investigation aims to identify the effect of vitamin B17 (amygdaline) on the irradiated parotid salivary gland of albino rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-eight adult male albino rats were randomly divided into two groups subjected to irradiation procedure. Fourteen were in the control group, receiving a daily 5 mL saline by oral gavage (7 rats for 14 days and 7 rats for 30 days) while the other fourteen were treated with a daily dose of vitamin B17 (grounded apricot kernel; GAK) at 400 mg/kg in 5 mL of saline by oral gavage (7 rats for 14 days and 7 rats for 30 days). The parotid glands were dissected from the two groups at 14 and 30 days from the day of exposure to irradiation. The parotid gland sections were subjected to H&E stain, immunohistochemical localization of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and PCR using transforming growth factor beta 2 (TGF-ß2). RESULTS: The histological abnormalities corroborate with the immunohistochemical localization of EGF and the PCR results of TGF ß2, as their up-regulation in the control group demonstrate oxidative stresses and inflammation. The Treatment with GAK decreased oxidative stress and inflammation while promoting tissue regeneration. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin B17 is a promising anti-inflammatory agent that boosts immunity, as the experimental group showed better histological architecture of the parotid gland than the other one.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition in gingival tissues from chronic periodontitis patients: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: It has been proposed that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is responsible for the pathogenesis of several diseases. However, the relationship between the EMT process and the severity of periodontitis has not been previously investigated. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to localize and quantitatively assess the expression of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-ß1), vimentin and E-cadherin in correlation with the EMT process in human gingiva of periodontally diseased patients in comparison with halthy individuals. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Gingival tissue samples from 36 participants were divided into 2 groups: the healthy (control) group (n = 9); and the periodontitis group (n = 27). The periodontitis group was further subclassified into mild, moderate and severe periodontitis subgroups (9 patients in each subgroup). The samples were subjected to histological staining, the histomorphometric analysis and the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT­PCR) analysis for TGF-ß, vimentin and E-catherin. Statistical and correlation analyses were performed. RESULTS: The hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stain sections from both the moderate and severe periodontitis subgroups showed epithelial hyperplasia, perinuclear haloing and a marked increase in the inflammatory cell count as compared to the control group. The highest mean TGF-ß1 and vimentin expression values were recorded in the severe periodontitis subgroup, whereas the lowest mean values were recorded in the control gingiva. On the contrary, the expression of E-catherin had the highest mean value in the control gingiva, whereas the lowest mean value was recorded in the severe periodontitis subgroup. All results were found to be statistically significant. The correlation analysis revealed a statistically significant positive correlation between the severity of periodontitis and the expression of TGF-ß and vimentin, while a statistically significant inverse correlation was found between the expression of E-catherin and the severity of periodontitis. CONCLUSIONS: There is a direct correlation between the severity of periodontitis and the expression of the EMT process markers (TGF-ß and vimentin). This correlation indicates that EMT plays an important role in the pathogenesis and prognosis of periodontal disease. The data presented in this study could open the door for using anti-EMT agents in treating periodontal disease.

The effect of lathyrism on dentin structure of the rat incisors: a morphometric and scanning electron microscopic investigation.

BACKGROUND: The present study was designed to study the effect of beta-aminopropionitrile (beta-APN), present in Lathyrus sativus grass pea consumed in drought prone areas, on dentin of the continuously erupting rat incisors. METHODS: Eighteen adult male rats were used. In the experimental group (18 rats), lathyrism was induced by a once daily subcutaneous administration of beta-APN for 40 days. The maxillary and mandibular incisors were examined ultrastructurally and morphometrically. RESULTS: The mean number of patent tubules, the mean area, perimeter and the area percent of the tubules were analyzed. Ultrastructurally, the dentinal tubules of both coronal and radicular dentin in the lathyritic group were narrower or even obliterated compared with those in the control. The coronal and radicular dentin of the lathyritic group exhibited an irregular lattice of non-mineralized small branching collagen fibrils obliterating the dentinal tubules. The mean number of patent tubules in the control and lathyritic groups revealed an insignificant difference. The mean area of the tubules showed a statistically significant difference in lathyritic radicular dentin (P = 0.0353). The percentage of the total surface area of the dentinal tubules significantly decreased in the radicular dentin of the lathyritic group (P = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicated a deleterious effect of lathyrism on dentin, with a possible negative impact on developing teeth integrity.