RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Our aim in this study was to investigate the effect of Gallic acid (GA) on gingival tissue injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty rats were categorized into two groups. In the burn group, an excisional wound area was created by removing a 4 mm diameter flap from the left molar region in the mucoperiosteal region of the gingiva. In the Burn+gallic acid group, 1.2 mg/ml GA was administered as irrigation for 1 week. Animals were sacrificed under anesthesia at the end of experiment. Malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and glutathione (GSH) levels were measured. Hematoxylin Eosin, fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) immunostaining was applied to tissues. RESULTS: MDA and MPO levels increased, and GSH, epithelization, FGF and EGF expression levels were decreased. Gallic acid treatment improved these scores. Degenerated gingival epithelium, disintegrity in epithelial and connective tissue fibers, edema and inflammatory cells were observed in the burn group. Gallic acid treatment after burn improved the pathologies. After burn injury, FGF and EGF activity was increased in Gallic acid-treated groups. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that GA has the potential for better healing outcomes in oral wounds. GA seems to have promising therapeutic efficacy in enhancing oral wound healing.