Effect of topical propolis and dexamethasone on the healing of oral surgical wounds

Abstract

Background: The aim of the study was to determine the effects of the topical administration of propolis and dexamethasone on oral surgical wounds. Method: Surgical wounds were made on the dorsum of the tongues of 90 hamsters, which were then divided into three experimental groups. The wounds were submitted to topical applications of a 30% ethanolic extract of propolis (EEP) (Group 1), 0.1% dexamethasone in orabase gel (Group 2), and orabase gel alone (Group 3). Six animals from each subgroup were sacrificed on days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28 post surgery. Statistical analysis, involving nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests and a chi-square test, were used to compare categorical variables. Results: The macroscopic exam of the surgical sites revealed statistically significant differences in the wound area between the propolis group and the remaining groups on day 7 postoperatively (p-value = 0.002). In the microscopic exam, the effects of EEP and dexamethasone were compared with regard to the presence of necrotic tissue, intensity of inflammation, formation of granulation tissue and epithelialisation. Conclusion: In conclusion, our results showed that EEP demonstrated a greater anti-inflammatory effect and shorter healing time in oral surgical wounds in hamsters, in comparison to dexamethasone in orabase gel.