Knowledge and attitude of pregnant women in Urmia, Iran, about oral health care during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVES: Physiological changes during pregnancy make mothers susceptible to periodontal diseases, in particular gingivitis, which could be prevented by good oral hygiene. Therefore, their knowledge and attitude could affect their oral hygiene and general health. This study therefore aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding oral hygiene, of pregnant women living in a city in Iran. MATERIAL AND METHODS: It was a cross-sectional study that was performed in Urmia City in 2019. After completing an informed consent form, pregnant women completed a specially designed questionnaire, which included questions on demographic characteristics and assessed participants' knowledge and attitude about oral health care during pregnancy. A clinical examination of each participant's oral cavity was performed and dental plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), and number of decayed, missed, filled teeth (DMFT) index were recorded. Any correlations between participants' knowledge and attitude and oral health indices were evaluated. A paired t test and Pearson's correlation coefficient were employed for statistical analysis. RESULTS: A total of 96 pregnant women (mean age of 29.11 ± 6.80 years) participated in this study. Among them, 67 had a moderate level of knowledge. There was no significant correlation between participants' knowledge, and attitude levels and educational level (p = .88 and p = .43, respectively). Also, there was no correlation between knowledge and attitude levels and GI, PI, and DMFT (p > .05). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the knowledge and attitude of the pregnant women who participated were not favorable and their oral hygiene needed to be improved.

Relationship between salivary levels of interleukin-8 and HbA1c in patients with type 2 diabetes.

INTRODUCTION: Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease, which genetic and environmental factors play a role in its pathogenesis. Cytokines as important elements in the immune system have diverse expressions in different individuals and societies and are effective in the pathogenesis of diabetes. This study investigated the relationship between blood sugar control and salivary levels of interleukin-8 (IL-8) in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 73 subjects (35 diabetic and 38 healthy individuals). Unstimulated saliva samples were collected and the correlation between IL-8, as an inflammatory marker and HbA1c (Haemoglobin A1C) was studied. RESULTS: The levels of IL-8 and HbA1c were significantly higher in the patient group than control group (p < .001, p < .001, respectively). There was not any relationship between salivary IL-8 levels and glycemic control levels (p = .629). Also, there was no remarkable difference between men and women in terms of the levels of IL-8 and HbA1c saliva (p = .524, p = .998, respectively). CONCLUSION: Although the salivary IL-8 levels were higher in the diabetic patients, blood sugar control did not significantly affect cytokine concentrations. Increased salivary levels of IL-8 in patients with type 2 diabetes could be a basis for risk assessment, prevention and treatment of diabetes-related complications.

Evaluation of Risk Factors in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer: A Case Control Study.

Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most common types of cancer worldwide. Since there are many factors that influence the development of cancer, identifying risk factors plays an important role in cancer prevention. The aim of this study was therefore to identify the risk factors for HNSCC in Mashhad, Iran. Methods: In this case-control study, 76 patients with HNSCC were included as the case and 91 healthy people as the control group. A checklist of risk factors was completed for each participant and the two groups were compared for the presence of risk factors. Chi-square, t test, and Mann-Whitney tests were used to compare the data. Odds ratios (ORs) for several factors have also been determined. Findings: The educational level and body mass index (BMI) of the patients in the case group were significantly lower than in the control group (P<0.001). Moreover, there were significant differences between the two groups in terms of risk factors such as tobacco smoking, the number of cigarettes smoked per day, and its duration (P=0.001, P<0.001, P=0.05), as well as the duration of hookah smoking, opium consumed per day and use of alcohol (P=0.023, P<0.001, P=0.015). Conclusion: There was a direct relationship between HNSCC and risk factors such as cigarette smoking, number of cigarettes smoked per day, duration of cigarette consumption and hookah, opium consumed per day, and alcohol use. However, extensive studies with larger sample sizes are needed to better assess the impact of these factors and generalize the results.

Correlation of glycemic control with salivary oxidative markers in subjects with prediabetes and diabetes: A cross-sectional study.

Background and aims: Rising levels of oxidative stress play an important role in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus. This study aimed to some assess salivary antioxidants in patients with type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and healthy control. We also assessed the potential clinical relevance of salivary antioxidants with glycemic control. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 30 prediabetes, 31 type 2 diabetes, and 39 sex-matched normoglycemic individuals. To assess the salivary oxidative status, we measured the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), the total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and uric acid (UA) by spectrophotometry. Results: Salivary MDA levels were significantly higher in individuals with diabetes compared to prediabetes, and control groups (p = 0.001). MDA and SOD were significantly correlated with fasting blood sugar (FBS) and HbA1C (p < 0.001, r = 0.43, p < 0.001, r = 0.34, and p = 0.003, r = 0.29 p = 0.01, r = 0.23 respectively). Salivary TAC was also significantly correlated with FBS (p = 0.02, r = 0.23). Furthermore, salivary MDA was an independent determinant of type 2 diabetic patients compared to healthy subjects (p = 0.04). According to the cutoff point in the ROC curve, the MDA index was below 2.8 in 82.1% of the controls (specificity), and it was above 2.8 in 64.2% of the Individuals with diabetes (sensitivity). Conclusion: The simultaneous assessment of salivary oxidative and antioxidant factors, revealed weak but a significant positive association between MDA and glycemic status in diabetes. However, further investigations are required to confirm our results.

Frequency of Systemic Diseases and Oral Lesions Among the Institutionalized Elderly Subjects in the Northeast of Iran.

Background: With ageing, the number of systemic diseases and the consumption of drugs increase. Moreover, some oral lesions, especially denture-related lesions, are commonly observed. Aim and Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of systemic diseases and oral lesions in the elderly in the Mashhad Geriatric Institutes. Methods: Institutionalized elderly people, who could cooperate for oral examination, enrolled in this descriptive cross-sectional study. The frequency of oral lesions and their systemic diseases were recorded in the self-made checklist. For statistical analysis, Student's t-test and Chi-square test were utilized. The significance level was considered to be 0.05. Results: During the study, 224 elderly subjects with a mean age of 75.63 ± 11.22 years were evaluated. The mean duration of residency in the elderly nursing centres was 1.87 ± 1.37 years. Hypertension, Alzheimer's disease and diabetes were the most common systemic diseases, and about 47% of the patients had two or multiple concurrent diseases. Among participants, 97.1% had at least one oral lesion. The most common oral lesions were fissured tongue (75%), sublingual varicosity (68.3%) and hairy or coated tongue (38.4%), respectively, which are classified as normal variations of oral mucosa. The most common pathological lesions were denture stomatitis, frictional keratosis and lichenoid reactions. Conclusion: Regarding to the high frequency of oral lesions among ageing people, regular examination of the oral mucosa for early detection of oral lesions and appropriate treatments is recommended.

Assessment of salivary opiorphin in oral lichen planus

Opiorphin is a pentapeptide, which could be isolated from human fluids and has a decreasing effect on pain. Aim: Since lichen planus is a chronic mucocutaneous disease, which causes pain or burning feeling in the oral mucosa, this study aimed to compare salivary opiorphin levels of oral lichen planus (OLP) patients with healthy subjects. Methods: This case-control study, was performed on 24 patients with OLP lesions and 21 healthy subjects. After collecting unstimulated saliva, opiorphin levels were compared between two groups through statistical analyses. Results: There was not any significant difference between OLP patients and healthy subjects according to salivary opiorphin concentration (p=0.378). Also, in the OLP group, opiorphin concentration was not significantly different between males and females (p=0.601). Analytical analysis could not show any remarkable difference between various severity of OLP lesions regarding to salivary opiorphin levels (p=0.653). Conclusion: In this study, salivary opiorphin levels was not significantly different between patients with OLP and healthy subjects; however, more studies are suggested for better assessment of salivary opiorphin levels in various types of OLP lesions and its correlation with pain severity

A Comparative Analysis of Photobiomodulation-Mediated Biological Effects of Single Versus Double Irradiation on Dental Pulp Stem Cells: An In Vitro Study.

Objective: In recent years, fractionated irradiation protocols, rather than a simple plan of exposure, have been proposed as a more effective method in the field of tissue regeneration. Thus, this study aimed at a comparative analysis of single versus double irradiation of an 808-nm diode laser, in terms of dental pulp stem cells' (DPSCs) viability and proliferation in vitro. Methods: Subcultured DPSCs were either irradiated, or not (control group), with energy densities of 3, 7, and 12 J·cm-2 in a single- or double-session manner (24 h apart). On 0, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h postirradiation, cell viability and proliferation were evaluated through Trypan Blue and alamarBlue assays, respectively. Results: During the first 48 h postirradiation, the highest rates of DPSC proliferation were assigned to double irradiation at 3 or single exposure to 7 J⋅cm-2, with no cytotoxic effects on cell viability. Inversely, single irradiation at 12, or a double session of exposure to 7 or 12 J⋅cm-2, led to a significant descent in the rates of proliferation and cell viability. Conclusions: Within the limitations of this study, evidence suggests a positive impact on the biological responses of DPSCs following double session of exposure to lower energy densities as well as a single irradiation at a higher energy dosage.

Salivary Antioxidants Levels in Patients with Oral Lichen Planus.

Background: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is one of the most common diseases of the oral mucosa, which exact pathogenesis remains unknown. Free radicals and reactive oxygen species could play an important role in the pathogenesis of oral lichen planus. Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to compare the salivary levels of uric acid, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and albumin in the patients with oral lichen planus and healthy subjects. Materials and Methods: Thirty patients with oral lichen planus and 30 healthy subjects, who were matched for age and sex, were enrolled in this case-control study. The salivary concentration of uric acid, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and albumin were examined in these individuals using the spectrophotometry and coulometric technique. The data were analyzed through Mann-Whitney test and T test by SPSS software (ver. 19). Results: Salivary uric acid and albumin levels in patients with oral lichen planus and healthy controls were not statistically different (p > 0.05); however, the concentrations of salivary superoxide dismutase in OLP patients (660.4 ± 266.4 U/g protein) and healthy controls (935.73 ± 561.9 U/g protein) were significantly different (p < 0/05). Also, salivary glutathione peroxidase levels in healthy controls (1049.98 ± 964.56 mU/mL) were remarkably higher than OLP patients (244.12 ± 170.78 mU/mL) (p < 0/001). Conclusion: The salivary superoxide dismutase concentration, as an indicator of antioxidant system, in OLP patients was significantly higher than healthy subjects. The glutathione peroxidase levels in these patients were remarkably lower than healthy controls. It is suggestive that these markers could be effective in pathogenesis of OLP.

Effects of diode low-level laser therapy on healing of tooth extraction sockets: a histopathological study in diabetic rats.

Diabetes mellitus is mostly interrelated to deficiency in wound healing. Low-level laser therapy has been shown to exert reliable effects on the acceleration of wound healing process. This study aimed to determine the potential influence of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on the healing of extraction sockets in diabetic rats. A total of 24 healthy male Wistar rats were selected for this study. After diabetes induction, the maxillary first molars of all rats were extracted bilaterally. Then, the animals were subjected either to Ga-Al-As laser at 808 nm or to Al-Ga-In-P laser at 660 nm at the right extracted socket every day for the next 14 days. The left sockets served as controls. Rats were sacrificed on the 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 14th days after tooth extraction. The samples were examined by a pathologist. LLLT at 808 nm was able to significantly repress inflammation, improve osteoid formation, and promote vascularization in comparison to the non-treated sockets. LLLT at 660 nm significantly suppressed inflammation and developed vascularization in comparison to the non-treated sockets, but failed to improve osteoid formation in the treated sockets. This study suggests that LLLT could be considered as a reliable treatment for wound healing in diabetic experimental rats.

Treatment of Plaque-Like Oral Lichen Planus with CO2 Laser.

Background: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic autoimmune disease, which annoys the patients for several years. It presents with various clinical forms. Although plaque-like form of OLP is usually asymptomatic, it could transform to a malignant lesion. Therefore, treatment considerations are essential to reduce the development of oral cancer. Laser therapy is a newer modality for treatment of plaque-like lesions. Aims: This study aimed to perform laser therapy for plaque-like lesions of OLP. Methods: We described some plaque-like OLP lesions evaporated with CO2 laser. The power of 4-7 watt as continuous wave (CW) and defocused mode was employed for evaporation. The complications and recurrence were evaluated in the follow-up sessions. Results: In some patients, mild keratotic lesions were observed in the follow-up sessions. Most patients were satisfied with treatment process and reported mild burning after treatment. No complication was observed in the patients. Conclusion: CO2 laser could be employed for OLP lesions; however, some degrees of recurrence may occur.

Evaluation of the salivary glutaredoxin-1 levels in oral lichen planus and oral squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Glutaredoxin-1, as a component of antioxidant system, plays a crucial role in pathogenesis of some cancers and pre-malignant lesions. The aim of this study is to assess salivary levels of glutaredoxin-1 in oral lichen planus (OLP) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients compared with healthy controls. METHODS & MATERIALS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 28 OLP patients, 20 OSCC cases, and 40 healthy subjects. Their salivary glutaredoxin-1 was assessed by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Regarding the glutaredoxin-1 level, there was no significant difference between the three studied groups (p=0.073); however, the salivary glutaredoxin-1levels were higher in the healthy subjects than the OLP and OSCC patients. Among OSCC patients, the salivary glutaredoxin-1 levels were significantly higher in the males (p=0.03). According to glutaredoxin-1 levels, the difference between keratotic and non-keratotic OLP lesions were not significant (p=0.98). Furthermore, there was no significant difference between various clinical manifestations and grades of OSCC, (p=0.08, p=0.56, respectively). CONCLUSION: Salivary glutaredoxin-1 levels were lower in OLP and OSCC patients compared to the normal volunteers; therefore the role of glutaredoxin-1 in the pathogenesis of these diseases could be proposed.

Effect of Black and Green Tea on Salivary pH: a Double Blinded Cross-Over Study / Efeito do Chá Preto e Verde no pH Salivar: um Estudo Duplo Cego Cross-Ove

Introdução: Alguns produtos à base de plantas podem afetar o pH salivar e a prevenção da cárie dentária. O consumo de chá tem efeitos inibidores sobre algumas bactérias orais. Objetivo: O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito dos chás verde e preto sobre o pH salivar. Material e Métodos: neste estudo duplo-cego cruzado, amostras salivares de 50 estudantes saudáveis do sexo masculino da Faculdade de Odontologia de Zahedan, com idades entre 20-22 anos, foram coletadas para avaliação do pH salivar. Todos os voluntários foram solicitados a consumir chá preto comercial no primeiro dia e, em seguida, amostras de saliva foram coletadas antes de beber o chá, imediatamente após beber o chá, 5 e 10 minutos após o consumo do chá. Alternando com o consumo do chá verde, no segundo dia, as amostras de saliva foram coletadas novamente. Em seguida, o pH salivar foi estimado com um medidor de pH digital. Os dados foram analisados por meio de teste t independente e teste t de amostras pareadas. Resultados: O pH salivar médio antes e após o consumo de chá verde foi de 7,15 ± 0,05 e 7,56 ± 0,09, respectivamente, o que apresentou uma diferença notável (p <0,001). Foi de 7,14 ± 0,05 e 7,51 ± 0,10, respectivamente, para o chá preto, com diferença significativa (p <0,0001). O pH salivar médio após o consumo de chá verde foi significativamente maior do que o chá preto (p = 0,006). Conclusão: A ingestão de chá verde e preto levou a um aumento significativo no pH salivar, que foi maior após o consumo de chá verde em comparação com o chá preto. Este estudo sugere os efeitos benéficos de beber chá em fornecer um ambiente alcalino na cavidade oral (AU)

Background: Some herbal products could affect on salivary pH and prevention of dental caries. Tea consumption has inhibition effects on some oral bacteria. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of green and black tea on salivary pH. Material and Methods: In this double blinded cross-over trial, salivary samples of 50 healthy male students of Zahedan Faculty of Dentistry, aged 20-22 years old were collected for evaluation of salivary pH. All volunteers were asked to consume commercially black tea on the first day and then saliva samples were collected before drinking tea and immediately after drinking tea and 5 and 10 minutes after tea consumption. With replacing consumption of green tea, at the second day, saliva samples were collected again. Then the salivary pH was estimated with a digital pH-meter. Data were analyzed through independent t-test and paired samples t-test. Results: Mean salivary pH before and after green tea consumption were 7.15±0.05 and 7.56±0.09, respectively, which showed a remarkable difference (p<0.001). It was 7.14±0.05 and 7.51 ± 0.10, respectively, for black tea, with significant difference (p<0.001). Mean salivary pH after green tea consumption was significantly higher than black tea (p= 0.006). Conclusion:Both green and black tea intake led to a significant rise in salivary pH, which was higher after green tea consumption compared to black tea. This study suggests the beneficial effects of drinking tea in providing an alkaline environment in oral cavity (AU)

Assessment of salivary thioredoxin levels in oral lichen planus and oral squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic mucocutaneous inflammatory disease, which is considered as a potentially malignant condition and could transformed into oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Squamous cell carcinmoma is the most common oral cancer. This study aimed to compare salivary thioredoxin levels as an antioxidant protein among patients with OSSC, OLP and healthy subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-eight patients with OLP, 20 patients with OSCC and 40 healthy people enrolled in this observational study. Saliva samples were collected from all subjects and salivary thioredoxin levels were evaluated by Elisa test. The data were recorded in the check lists and analyzed using SPSS (ver.17). RESULTS: Thioredoxin levels of healthy controls were insignificantly higher than OLP and SCC patients (p = 0.135). There was a statistically remarkable indirect relationship between thioredoxin levels and severity of the lesions determined by Thongprasom criteria among OLP patients. The thioredoxin concentration was significantly higher in the keratotic OLP. Among the OSCC patients, the highest levels of thioredoxin were found among patients aged more than 65 years. Salivary thioredoxin levels based on other variables were not significantly different between the studied groups. CONCLUSION: In this study, there was not any significant difference between salivary thioredoxin levels in the OLP and OSCC patients, though it was unremarkable higher in the healthy group compared to the patients; therefore, the role of thioredoxin in the cellular oxidation-reduction status could be suggested; however, further studies are recommended.

Metastasis of Colon Adenocarcinoma to Maxillary Gingiva and Palate.

INTRODUCTION: Colon adenocarcinoma is one of the foremost causes of cancer mortality. Oral metastasis of colon adenocarcinoma is, however, rare and indicates an end-stage disease process. CASE REPORT: We report a case of a 69-year-old female with a gingival mass diagnosed with colon adenocarcinoma and liver metastasis after one year. A swelling was found in the maxillary right buccal and lingual gingiva during physical examination. Tissue biopsy revealed an intestinal metastatic adenocarcinoma. The patient underwent chemotherapy for treatment. We also reviewed all reported cases of gingival metastasis due to colon adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSION: Careful examination of the oral cavity in patients with the adenocarcinomas of various organs is beneficial in the early diagnosis of metastasis since the most frequent metastatic lesion of the oral cavity is adenocarcinoma.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of crocin isolated from saffron in treatment of burning mouth syndrome: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a debilitating disorder with few limited treatment modalities. Because of the proven association between BMS symptoms, and depression and anxiety, treatment modalities that alleviate the two latter etiologic factors can be clinically effective. Thus, owing to the antidepressant and potential analgesic effects of crocin (as an active constituent of saffron), the present study was performed to compare the effect of crocin and citalopram (as control) on BMS symptoms and depression/anxiety in patients with BMS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present double-blind randomized clinical trial was carried out on BMS patients. Patients were randomly divided into citalopram (n=21) and crocin (n=26) groups and treated for 11 weeks. BMS symptoms (based on Visual Analysis Scale (VAS)), as well as anxiety and depression (based on Hamilton questionnaire) were evaluated at baseline and during the treatment period. Mann-Whitney, Chi-Square test, Independent t-test, Friedman, and Spearman correlation were employed for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Our findings showed a significant effect for crocin on the severity of BMS symptoms, anxiety and depression in BMS patients. CONCLUSION: Crocin can be considered for treatment of BMS subjects with concurrent anxiety and/or depression.

The effect of glycemic control on salivary lipid peroxidation in type II diabetic patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Hyperglycemia and some disturbance in antioxidant system lead to free radicals production and oxidative stress. Assessment of some products of oxidative stress could be effective in evaluation of diabetic control. This study aimed at evaluation of glycemic control on salivary lipid peroxidation in diabetic patients. METHODS: This case control study has been done on 44 diabetic (type II) and 44 healthy subjects. Un-stimulated saliva was collected and correlation between malondialdehid (MDA) as an end -product of lipid peroxidation and HbA1c was assessed. RESULTS: MDA and HbA1c of diabetic patients were significantly higher than control group. There was a indirect correlation between MDA and glycemic control level. CONCLUSION: Evaluation of salivary MDA levels could be useful in prediction of glycemic control.

Oral administration of nanomicelle curcumin in the prevention of radiotherapy-induced mucositis in head and neck cancers.

Oral mucositis (OM) is a complication of head and neck cancer (HNC) therapy with negative impact on the quality of life. Although definitive treatment has not yet been established, there is interest towards the use of natural compounds owing to their few side effects. Curcumin has a variety of biological and pharmacological properties including anticancer and anti-inflammatory effects. AIM: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of curcumin in the form of nanomicelle on OM in HNC patients receiving radiotherapy. METHODS: In this clinical trial, 32 HNC patients were allocated to case and control groups, and respectively received nanocurcumin or placebo during radiotherapy. RESULTS: We found a statistically significant difference in the severity of mucositis between the 2 groups at all visits. In contrast to the control-group patients, who all developed OM in the 2nd week of radiotherapy, only 32% of the case group developed OM with no obvious oral or systemic side effects. CONCLUSION: Our data show that nanomicelle curcumin is an effective agent in the prevention of OM or reducing its severity. Thus, the administration of nanocurcumin can be considered as a reasonable approach to hinder the development of OM in HNC patients requiring radiotherapy.

Evaluation of serum levels of oxidized and reduced glutathione and total antioxidant capacity in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common type of oral cancer, and it is important for it to be diagnosed in early stages. Researchers are interested in exploring the possibility of using biomarkers in the diagnosis of SCC in early stages. One of the detectable biomarkers in the serum is glutathione. Glutathione includes two forms: reduced form (or GSH) and oxidized form (or GSSG). The GSH/GSSG ratio tends to decrease in severe oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to assess the serum levels of GSH and GSSG as well as GSH/GSSG as total antioxidant capacity in patients with head and neck SCC (HNSCC) and to subsequently compare them with healthy controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty HNSCC patients as well as twenty healthy controls were included in the study. A blood sample of 5 ml was obtained from both the case and control groups. GSH, GSSG, and total antioxidant capacity were measured spectrophotometrically. RESULTS: No significant difference in the level of GSSG was observed in the patients from the case and control groups (P = 0.796), whereas the level of GSH and GSH/GSSG was significantly lower in the case group (P = 0.002, P = 0.011, respectively). There was no significant relationship between the level of GSH, GSSG, and total antioxidant capacity, on the one hand, and the stage and grade of the tumor, on the other hand. CONCLUSION: Since the levels of GSH and GSH/GSSG were significantly lower in the case group, GSH/GSSG could be used as a prognostic factor for the early diagnosis of HNSCC.

Evaluation of the Cytotoxic Activity of Crocin and Safranal, Constituents of Saffron, in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (KB Cell Line).

Crocin and safranal are active ingredients in the saffron. Some studies have demonstrated antitumor activities of saffron ingredients. The aim of this study was to evaluate cytotoxic effects of crocin and safranal in oral squamous cell carcinoma (KB cells) and NIH 3T3 cell line as nonmalignant cells. The cells were incubated with crocin and safranal at 37°C for 24, 48, and 72 h, and cell viability was quantitated by MTT assay. Apoptotic cells, cell cycle distribution, and sub-G1 fraction were determined using propidium iodide staining of DNA fragmentation by flow cytometry. Crocin (0.05-4 mM) and safranal (0.2-3.2 mM) significantly inhibited the growth of KB cells (the inhibitory growth effects of all concentrations for both were >50% after 72 h), while they had less inhibitory effects on NIH 3T3 cells viability. The IC50 values of crocin and safranal against NIH 3T3 cells after 72 h were determined as 2.8 and 0.3 mM, respectively. Crocin and safranal induced a sub-G1 peak in the flow cytometry histogram of treated cells compared to control cells indicating that apoptotic cell death is involved in the toxicity of crocin and safranal. Apoptotic effects of crocin and safranal in tumor cells were more than normal cells. Neither crocin nor safranal affected the cell cycle progression. Crocin and safranal exerted apoptotic effects in KB cell line.

Human T-Lymphotropic Virus-1 Associated with Adult T-Cell Lymphoma/ Leukemia and Generalized Expansion of Palatal and Jaw Bones: A Rare Case Report.

Human T-lymphotropic virus-1 (HTLV-1) can cause adult T-cell leukemia/ lymphoma (ATL/L), which is a rare and aggressive type of blood cancer. Herein, we report a case of ATL/L in a middle-aged man with unusual jaw presentations. The patient presented with mandibular, maxillary and palatal bony hard expansion, accompanied by generalized tooth mobility six months prior to admission to the Department of Oral Medicine. The panoramic radiograph showed generalized rarefaction of jaw bones. After laboratory examinations and bone marrow aspiration, ATL/L was diagnosed in association with HTLV-1. The patient underwent chemotherapy. Although the majority of infections associated with HTLV-1 are asymptomatic, some patients may develop blood diseases such as ATL/L and neurological disorders, mainly HTLV-1 associated myelopathy and tropical spastic paraparesis. ATL/L is a rare hematological malignancy in oral cavity that should be included in the differential diagnosis of cases with jaw swelling or generalized demineralization. Serum levels of anti-HTLV-1 antibodies should be examined in suspicious patients, particularly in endemic regions.