Smallanthus sonchifolius: beneficial effects on gingivitis

TERRITORIALE EB; ALEMAN MN; SANCHEZ SS; HONORE SM

San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán

Congreso; XXXII Annual Scientific Meeting of the Tucumán Biology Association XX Annual Scientific Meeting of the Córdoba Biology Society XXXIII Annual Scientific Meeting of the Cuyo Biology Society XVII Annual Meeting of the Argentine Biology Society; 2015

Argentine Biology Society

Gingivitis is an inflammatory disease caused by a microbe-immune response that affects tooth-supporting tissues. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the beneficial effects of Smallanthus sonchifollius (yacón) roots, rich in fructooligosaccharides, in the periodontal tissues in high-fructose-diet-fed (HFD) rats. Female Wistar rats were separated into two different groups and received either a standard diet or the HFD for 12 weeks. After that, HFD rats were assigned according to the treatment to standard, HFD and HFD+yacón flour (340mgFOS/kg) groups for 8 weeks. Clinical, biochemical and histopathological parameters were evaluated. The results were statistically analyzed (T-test and ANOVA) with a value of p0.05. The histological investigation of the marginal gingiva HFD-fed animals showed diffuse and perivascular focal inflammation of the lamina propria, neo-angiogenesis, and hyperplasia of the squamous epithelium by way of network plugs. A significant increase was also observed in the number of intraepithelial lymphocytes. In the interdental papilla, edema, neo-angiogenesis surrounded by a chronic inflammatory infiltrate was evident. The HFD+yacón flour supplemented group exhibited significantly reduced inflammation indicators. Yacón supplementation improved metabolic parameters and significantly reduced the histopathological signs of marginal gingivitis. In conclusion, yacón flour consumption prevents the development of chronic marginal gingivitis and improves the inflammatory condition of periodontal tissues.