Leukotriene inhibition in hamster periodontitis. A histochemical and morphometric study.

The effects of leukotriene (LT) inhibition on gingival and adjacent bone compartments were assessed by using phenidone (100 mg/kg/d) and ketoconazole (50 mg/kg/d) given for 4 weeks to periodontitis-affected hamsters. In the gingiva the two agents significantly decreased PMNL recruitment and migration and increased the vascular lumen. At the bone level, they reduced significantly preosteoclast and osteoclast numbers but did not affect osteoclast activity. Phenidone had no action on periodontitis induced inhibition of bone formation; in contrast ketoconazole enhanced formation. As both phenidone and ketoconazole are unspecific LT inhibitors it cannot be ascertained that the effects observed were actually due to LT inhibition. However, phenidone and ketoconazole induced changes different from indomethacin used in previous studies to inhibit the cyclooxygenase pathway. These discrepancies suggest that LT inhibition occurred in the present study and that they participate in gingival inflammation and osteoclastic destruction during hamster periodontitis.