Comparative Immunohistochemical Assessment of the Effects of Chitosan and Curcumin on dorsal surface of tongue mucosa of albino rats fed on high-fat diet:Histological and Immunohistochemical Study

El-Sayed, Amr Ahmed; Mahmoud, Elham Fathi; Taha, Rasha Mohamed

doi:10.21608/dsu.2025.362383.1290

Comparative Immunohistochemical Assessment of the Effects of Chitosan and Curcumin on dorsal surface of tongue mucosa of albino rats fed on high-fat diet:Histological and Immunohistochemical Study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Oral Biology department, Faculty of Dentistry, Suez Canal university, Cairo, Egypt

² head of oral biology department, Faculty of Dentistry, Suez Canal University

³ oral biology department, Faculty of Dentistry, Suez Canal University

10.21608/dsu.2025.362383.1290

Abstract

Introduction: High-fat diet consumption results in raised levels of cholesterol in
the blood with a massive effect on tongue mucosa, according to previous research.
Recently it was claimed that using natural products such as curcumin and chitosan has
the potential to decrease cholesterol levels, which positively affects the dorsal surface
of the tongue. Aim: This work purposed to assist the effects of curcumin and chitosan
as a natural product on the dorsal surface of tongue mucosa of albino rats fed on a
high-fat diet. Materials and Methods: 40 rats were divided into 2 main groups (1
– control group: received normal diet and distilled water, 2 – experimental groups:
divided into 3 subgroups: 2-A received High fat diet and Cholesterol powder (10gr),
2-B curcumin treated group at the beginning of the fourth month with 1.5 g curcumin/
kg powder dissolved in distilled water, and 2-C chitosan treated group at the beginning
of the fourth month with 500 mg/ Kg. BW Chitosan tab which added to a distilled
water in a concentration of 10% (curcumin and chitosan were administered to rats via
gastric tube). Cholesterol level in blood was measured at days 0, 90 and 120. Rats
were euthanised at the end of 4 months, and tongue specimens were processed for
histological and immunohistochemical evaluation. All data were statistically analysed
using a one-way ANOVA (F) test with a post hoc test (Tukey). Results: A high-fat
diet caused degeneration to the tongue’s dorsal surface; treatment with curcumin
and chitosan showed a better histological effect compared with high fat diet group.
Chitosan showed near-normal papillae structure with partial muscle regeneration.
Conclusions: A high-fat diet induces cytotoxic effects on tongue mucosa, while
curcumin and chitosan demonstrate protective potential.

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