BACKGROUND: Oral mucositis is a common complication in the treatment of cancer. Its management and prevention are seen as high priority in cancer patient care. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of topical chamomile in the treatment of oral mucositis induced by 5-fluoracil (5-FU) in hamsters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred five hamsters were randomly separated into three groups (35 animals each): group I--without treatment (control); group II--treatment with chamomile (Ad-Muc®); and group III--treatment with corticoid (betamethasone elixir--Celestone®). The animals received an intraperitoneal injection of 5-FU on days 0 and 2. On days 3 and 4, the buccal mucosa was scratched and therapy was initiated on day 5. Three animals were sacrificed on days 0, 2, 5, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16, weighed, and the buccal mucosa removed for clinical and histopathological analysis. RESULTS: The animals that developed mucositis and were treated with chamomile or the corticoid agent weighed significantly less than those in the control group. The group treated with the corticoid agent exhibited a more severe clinical condition, whereas the group treated with chamomile exhibited mild mucositis throughout the experiment. The group treated with chamomile had a 12-fold greater chance of scoring zero (absence of mucositis) than the control group. Analysis of the histopathological results demonstrated that the group treated with chamomile exhibited a lesser degree of mucositis throughout the evaluation period in comparison to the control and corticoid groups. CONCLUSION: Chamomile proved effective in the treatment of oral mucositis in a hamster model. However, well-designed clinical studies are needed to confirm the clinical efficacy of this medicine in humans.
BACKGROUND:Oral mucositis is a common complication in the treatment of cancer. Its management and prevention are seen as high priority in cancerpatient care. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of topical chamomile in the treatment of oral mucositis induced by 5-fluoracil (5-FU) in hamsters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred five hamsters were randomly separated into three groups (35 animals each): group I--without treatment (control); group II--treatment with chamomile (Ad-Muc®); and group III--treatment with corticoid (betamethasone elixir--Celestone®). The animals received an intraperitoneal injection of 5-FU on days 0 and 2. On days 3 and 4, the buccal mucosa was scratched and therapy was initiated on day 5. Three animals were sacrificed on days 0, 2, 5, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16, weighed, and the buccal mucosa removed for clinical and histopathological analysis. RESULTS: The animals that developed mucositis and were treated with chamomile or the corticoid agent weighed significantly less than those in the control group. The group treated with the corticoid agent exhibited a more severe clinical condition, whereas the group treated with chamomile exhibited mild mucositis throughout the experiment. The group treated with chamomile had a 12-fold greater chance of scoring zero (absence of mucositis) than the control group. Analysis of the histopathological results demonstrated that the group treated with chamomile exhibited a lesser degree of mucositis throughout the evaluation period in comparison to the control and corticoid groups. CONCLUSION: Chamomile proved effective in the treatment of oral mucositis in a hamster model. However, well-designed clinical studies are needed to confirm the clinical efficacy of this medicine in humans.
Authors: Dorothy M Keefe; Mark M Schubert; Linda S Elting; Stephen T Sonis; Joel B Epstein; Judith E Raber-Durlacher; Cesar A Migliorati; Deborah B McGuire; Ronald D Hutchins; Douglas E Peterson Journal: Cancer Date: 2007-03-01 Impact factor: 6.860
Authors: Linda S Elting; Catherine Cooksley; Mark Chambers; Scott B Cantor; Ellen Manzullo; Edward B Rubenstein Journal: Cancer Date: 2003-10-01 Impact factor: 6.860
Authors: Paulo Renato Ferreira; James Freitas Fleck; Ada Diehl; Daniela Barletta; Aroldo Braga-Filho; Antonio Barletta; Ligia Ilha Journal: Head Neck Date: 2004-04 Impact factor: 3.147
Authors: Mark M Schubert; Fernanda P Eduardo; Katherine A Guthrie; Jean-Claude Franquin; Rene-Jean J Bensadoun; Cesar A Migliorati; C Michele E Lloid; Carlos P Eduardo; Niccoli-Filho Walter; Marcia M Marques; Mohd Hamdi Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2007-03-29 Impact factor: 3.603