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Effects of annatto tocotrienol on rats with periodontitis and hypertension

2024-04-20T00:00:00Z

Title: Effects of annatto tocotrienol on rats with periodontitis and hypertension Authors: Shadisvaaran Saminathan (P108042) Abstract: Periodontitis has been linked to endothelial dysfunction and blood pressure elevation in hypertensive patients. The management of these diseases is costly. Recent progress in natural products has shown beneficial activity of annatto tocotrienol from Bixa orellana in preventing and treating systemic diseases. This research aimed to investigate the protective effect of annatto tocotrienol on periodontitis and hypertension using adult male Wistar rats which were divided into seven groups: 1) sham; 2) NG- nitro-Larginine methyl ester (L-NAME); 3) L-NAME + annatto tocotrienol (60 mg/kg/day, oral); 4) periodontitis; 5) periodontitis + annatto tocotrienol; 6) L-NAME + periodontitis; 7) L-NAME + periodontitis + annatto tocotrienol. L-NAME (40 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally for 14 days to induce hypertension. A 0.2 mm orthodontic wire was ligated on right maxillary second molar to induce periodontitis. Then, the rats were treated with annatto tocotrienol (60 mg/kg) for 28 days. The blood pressure was measured using the tail-cuff method at baseline, post L-NAME injection (week 3), post ligation (week 7) and post annatto tocotrienol treatment (week 11). Plasma was collected before the study and after treatment for analyses of nitric oxide and pro-inflammatory cytokines using Griess assay and ELISA. After 28 days, the maxillae were extracted to determine alveolar bone loss and the percentage of bone remaining using micro-computed tomography. The data were analysed using one-way analysis of variances (ANOVA), Tukey’s post hoc and Dunnet T3 post hoc test for multiple comparisons between groups. Treatment with annatto tocotrienol reduced periodontitis-induced alveolar bone loss in hypertensive rats based on the percentage of bone remaining and alveolar bone loss analysis (p<0.01). Annatto tocotrienol was also found to reduce blood pressure in rats with hypertension and periodontitis (p<0.05). However, there was no reduction in IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α levels after annatto tocotrienol treatment. In conclusion, annatto tocotrienol reduced blood pressure, improved the percentage of bone remaining and alveolar bone loss but did not affect the levels of nitric oxide and pro-inflammatory cytokines in rats with periodontitis and hypertension. Hence, further protective effect of annatto tocotrienol can be explored to recommend its potential clinical application for the management of periodontitis and hypertension

Exploration of siwak effects on periodontal health and the development of an integrated scientific and Islamic knowledge guideline on the method of siwak practice

2024-07-11T00:00:00Z

Title: Exploration of siwak effects on periodontal health and the development of an integrated scientific and Islamic knowledge guideline on the method of siwak practice Authors: Haslinda Ramli (P109330) Abstract: Periodontal disease can result in tooth mobility and elongation, leading to potential extraction, and significantly affecting daily life quality, hence underscoring the importance of maintaining a healthy periodontium through effective oral hygiene care. While toothbrushes are commonly used, some prefer siwak, a natural oral hygiene aid used for centuries by Muslim communities. Though effective, its potential adverse effect on periodontal health remains debatable. This study aims to investigate siwak practice methods and their effects on periodontal health, ultimately developing a comprehensive guideline that integrates the Islamic knowledge on siwak practice and scientific evidence. The study employs a mixed-method design, incorporating a scoping and systematically literature reviews with meta-analysis (SRMA) to assess its effectiveness in adult clinical trials. The study also explores the siwak method and practice as described by the Prophet (peace be upon him, PBUH) through interviews with five contemporary Islamic scholars. Furthermore, experiences of eight siwak users are gathered through an online focus group discussion (FGD) and analysed thematically. Triangulating these data sources, a guideline is developed, and its content is validated using a modified Delphi technique with 54 experts. The quality of the guidelines is further appraised by three appraisers using Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) instrument. Although the siwak's effects on subgingival bacteria remains inconclusive, it effectively removes dental plaque and improves periodontium health over time. The SRMA supports these findings, indicating that an adjunctive siwak significantly reduces plaque (p=0.01, SMD: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.14 to 1.22) and gingivitis score (p=0.04, SMD: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.03 to 1.29) compared to exclusive toothbrush. Conversely, siwak users may experience gingival recession and clinical attachment loss (CAL) due to variations and errors in siwak methods and practice. Based on three identified themes—siwak preparation, toothbrushing method, and siwak practice—a knowledge-based guideline is developed, which received expert consensus and rendered high ratings for its quality. This study contributes to existing knowledge by integrating Islamic-scientific evidence-based practices and emphasising etiquette in siwak use. Dental practitioners can utilise this high-quality guideline to improve communication upon oral hygiene education with siwak users while respecting their health beliefs.

Identifying candidate gene linking P. Gingivalis to Alzheimer’s Disease: a systematic review, bioinformatic analysis and, zebrafish model validation

2024-10-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Identifying candidate gene linking P. Gingivalis to Alzheimer’s Disease: a systematic review, bioinformatic analysis and, zebrafish model validation Authors: Ahmed M. M. Hamarsha (P119221) Abstract: Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) is a non-motile, rod-shaped, anaerobic Bacteroidetes phylum, and forming black colonies morphology on a blood agar. Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory periodontal disease leading to the destruction of tooth- supporting tissues and eventual tooth loss. In recent years, several studies have shown an association between periodontitis and other systemic diseases including Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) which is a complex neurodegenerative disorder that poses cognitive ability deterioration including language, memory, comprehension, attention, judgment and reasoning. Studies have implicated P. gingivalis as a potential contributor to the development of AD. However, the precise nature of this relationship remains elusive, necessitating a comprehensive investigation. The main objective of this project is to investigate the relationship between P. gingivalis and AD using various method. firstly, the study employed a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify knowledge gaps and substantiate the association of interest. A bioinformatics analysis was performed using Omnibus and R software to identify differentially expressed common genes. Functional enrichment analysis was conducted, and a Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network was constructed to explore gene interactions. The zebrafish model's viability for P. gingivalis-associated AD was assessed by determining the LD50, and performing histological examination using H&E staining. Finally, gene validation was conducted by detecting the presence of WTH3DI, ID3, and VPS33B in zebrafish brain tissue using qPCR. The systematic search across two databases yielded 27 records for further analysis from 112 records in PubMed and 35 from Scopus. A strong positive correlation between P. gingivalis and AD was identified, with a pooled odds ratio of 2.45 (CI: 1.80-3.33). Hazard ratio analysis indicated a higher likelihood of developing AD in individuals infected with P. gingivalis, with a ratio of 1.06 (CI: 1.06-1.11). In silico analysis identified ten common genes linked to both P. gingivalis and AD, including CALD1, HES1, and WTH3DI. The LD50 of P. gingivalis was established at 107 cfu/ml using zebrafish, revealing neuronal degeneration and elevated proinflammatory markers IL-1β and TNF-α. Overall, the study indicates a significant genetic linkage between P. gingivalis and AD, with WTH3DI showing significant changes with p-value <0.05 that further strengthen the association between the two diseases.

Colour stability of resin infiltrant (icon©) following pretreatment in white spot lesion of multiple lesion depths: an In-vitro study

2023-06-13T00:00:00Z

Title: Colour stability of resin infiltrant (icon©) following pretreatment in white spot lesion of multiple lesion depths: an In-vitro study Authors: Rajeletchmi Seevalingam (P106576) Abstract: Resin infiltration (RI) is a low-viscosity resin used for minimally invasive treatment for the treatment of white spot lesion. RI can mask the opacities of the enamel by penetrating the lesion through capillary action. Major disadvantage of RI is the susceptibility to staining over time due to the presence of chromogenic agents present in our diet. The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the colour stability of resin infiltrant (ICON©) following pre-treatment procedures at different levels of lesion severity in WSL, and the secondary outcome is to investigate the maximum penetration depth of resin infiltrant following pre-treatment procedures. Extracted human premolars (n=195) with different WSL depths (A=100μm; B=180μm; C=200μm) were divided into three groups of 65 teeth each. In each group, 13 specimens were allocated into five interventions: control – no treatment (NT), RI only (R), microabrasion pre-treatment procedure and RI (M), fluoride pre-treatment procedure and RI (F) and 240 seconds of ICON Etch© as pre-treatment procedure and RI (E). In each intervention, one specimen was sectioned and assessed for the maximum depth of penetration of resin infiltrant. Four specimens per group were subjected to three staining agents (saline, coffee, and turmeric). Colour changes were assess at three time points: baseline (T0), after 24 hours (T1) and after 6 months (T2). Groups A-E and B-E showed the highest penetration of resin infiltrant (ICON©). In Group C, the highest penetration was found in group C-F. Group A-E showed a significant decrease in colour change in coffee staining from 24 hours to 6 months (mean difference (95% CI): 7.47 (3.258, 11.687), p<0.05) which was similar in Group C-E (mean difference (95% CI): 5.96 (1.781, 10.144), p<0.05). Turmeric staining showed the greatest colour changes irrespective of lesion depth and pre-treatment provided. In conclusion, increasing the etching time as pre-treatment had the best colour stability of resin infiltrant (ICON©) for lesion depth of 100 and 210μm.