Histological and immunohistochemical examination of the chemical content, antioxidant capacity and analysing antibacterial activity of rhus coriaria and mentha spicata species on palatal wound healing in rats

Objective: Our goal in this study is to evaluate the antioxidant composition of Rhus coriaria and Mentha spicata plants, the antibacterial activity of extracts belonging to these plants, and their effectiveness on wound healing in the rat palate region. Methods and materials: To this end, excisional wound with a diameter of 4 mm was created on the palate of 84 Wistar albino male rats at 8-10 weeks old. The subjects were divided into 3 equal groups in the form of control group (K), Rhus coriaria (RC) and Mentha spicata (MS), and subjects sacrified on days 3, 7, 14 and 21. Tissue samples were taken from the wound sites for histopathological examination. Parameters of vascularization, polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN), collagen degeneration, fibrosis, VEGF and vimentin were assessed histopathologically. According to statistical analysis results of RC group, VEGF levels on days 14 and 21 were meaningfully oversubscribed in the days compared to the control group, while meaningful difference with the control group was not detected in other parameters. The MS group showed significantly decreased vascularization, PMN, collagen degeneration, fibrosis and viment values on days 14 and 21 compared to the control and RC group; in the same days, VEGF values were found to be meaningfully excessive. In antioxidant evaluation; while the RC extract was found to have high activity as an antioxidant, the MS extract was found to be moderately active. Although the RC extract was found to be antibacterially effective on S.mitis; no antibacterial effects of MS were detected on either bacteria. Conclusion: Rhus coriaria was found to increase oral wound healing, while Mentha spicata was found to be moderately effective in oral wound healing. Keywords: Rhus coriaria, Mentha spicata, antioxidant, antibacterial, wound healing