Therapeutic effect of cinnamomum osmophloeum leaf extract on oral mucositis model rats induced by 5-fluororacil via influencing IL-1β and IL-6 levels

Oral mucositis (OM) is the oral inflammation as manifestation of chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. Cinnamomum osmophloeum (CO), of which the constituents possess anti-inflammatory activities, may have potential to alleviate OM. In this study, laboratory rats were injected with 5-Fluororacil and their oral mucosa were irritated by 18-gauge needle pouching to induce OM. Rats were randomly divided into six experimental groups: without treatment (WT), only 100 mg/mL CO leaf extract (COLE) treatment (100-only), only 5-Fluororacil treatment (5-FU), 5-FU then treated with Triamcinolone acetonide orobase (5-FU+G), 5-FU then treated with 50 mg/mL COLE, and 5-FU then treated with 100 mg/mL COLE (5-FU+100). Body weights and food and water intakes during the experimental period were recorded. Macroscopic examination, histopathological analyses, and serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels of these rats were evaluated or determined. No significant difference was found between the WT and 100-only groups. Results of macroscopic examinations, histopathological analyses, body weight changes, food and water intakes, and serum IL-1β and IL-6 levels showed significant therapeutic effects of the 5-FU+100 group compared to the 5-FU group. These finding suggest that COLE can be one of potential remedies for OM therapy through influencing proinflammatory cytokine levels.