Abstract:

BACKGROUND: The broad-spectrum antibacterial action of berberine hydrochloride mainly contributes to recurrent aphtha, periapical periodontitis, radioactive mucositis and pericoronitis, however a little evidence support the action mechanism underlying periodontitis treatment. 
OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of berberine hydrochloride on the expressions of related cytokines in periodontal tissues of experimental periodontitis rats, to reveal and understand the action pathway of berberine hydrochloride on oral tissue repair.
METHODS: Sixty Wistar rats weighing 160-200 g, aged 3 months Models, were involved in this study. Models of experimental periodontitis were established in rats through a use of local steel-wire ligation and systemic injection of prednisone acetate. Forty successfully established models were randomized into periodontitis model group (n=8) and periodontitis treatment group (n=32), at the same time, 10 normal rats served as control group. The treatment group of animals were fed with 0.06 g/kg berberine hydrochloride daily and medicated to death over the 1, 2, 3, 4 weekends (8 rats each). The model group was fed with isodose normal saline. The model group and normal control group were killed at the fourth weekend. Main observations: ①Oral gross observation and X-ray film examination; ②Pathological assay of periodontal tissues; ③Immunohistochemical SABC method was conducted to determine the expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), bone gla protein (BGP), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) in periodontal tissues in rats.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: ①Following hormone injection, gum tissue exhibited erosion and pyorrhea in model group of rats; the above-mentioned symptoms were relieved in rats of treatment group; there was no abnormality in periodontal tissues of normal rats. X-ray examination revealed alveolar crest resorption and obvious interradicular shadow in the model group. ②Rats of model group showed obvious pathologic changes in periodontal tissues, the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 were significantly higher and the level of BGP was dramatically lower than those in normal group (P < 0.05); Treatment with berberine hydrochloride decreased the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 in periodontal tissues and increased the level of BGP compared with model group (P < 0.05). The periodontal tissues in groups treated with berberine hydrochloride exhibited pathological changes at inflammatory repair stage. Results showed that berberine hydrochloride inhibits the expressions of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 in periodontal tissues in experiment rat models of periodontitis, and promotes the expression of BGP and repair of periodontal tissue.