We investigated the effect of
etoricoxib, a selective
cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, and
indomethacin, a non-selective
cyclooxygenase inhibitor, on experimental
periodontitis, and compared their gastrointestinal side effects. A
ligature was placed around the second upper left
molars of
female Wistar rats (160 to 200 g).
Animals (6 per group) were treated daily with oral doses of 3 or 9 mg/kg
etoricoxib, 5 mg/kg
indomethacin, or 0.2 mL saline, starting 5 days after the induction of
periodontitis, when
bone resorption was detected, until the sacrifice on the 11th day. The weight and
survival rate were monitored.
Alveolar bone loss (ABL) was measured as the sum of distances between the cusp
tips and the alveolar
bone. The
gastric mucosa was examined macroscopically and the
periodontium and gastric and
intestinal mucosa were examined by histopathology. The ongoing ABL was significantly inhibited (P < 0.05) by 3 and 9 mg/kg
etoricoxib and by
indomethacin control = 4.08 ± 0.47 mm;
etoricoxib (3 mg/kg) = 1.89 ± 0.26 mm;
etoricoxib (9 mg/kg) = 1.02 ± 0.14 mm;
indomethacin = 0.64 ± 0.15 mm. Histopathology of
periodontium showed that
etoricoxib and
indomethacin reduced inflammatory
cell infiltration, ABL, and
cementum and
collagen fiber destruction. Macroscopic and histopathological
analysis of gastric and
intestinal mucosa demonstrated that
etoricoxib induces less damage than
indomethacin.
Animals that received
indomethacin presented
weight loss starting on the 7th day, and higher mortality rate (58.3 percent) compared to
etoricoxib (0 percent).
Treatment with
etoricoxib, even starting when ABL is detected, reduces
inflammation and
cementum and
bone resorption, with fewer gastrointestinal side effects.