title: Periapical lesion development in rats inhibited by dexamethasone.
abstract: Bone resorption is one of the hallmarks of inflammatory periapical lesions and is mediated by cytokines. Recent insights into the immunobiology of these lesions indicate that pharmacological modulation of their bone resorbing activity may be possible. Periapical lesions were induced in rats by occlusal exposure of the pulps of their lower first molars. The size of the resulting lesions was followed-up and evaluated by image analysis of their radiographs. The lesions increased with time, and the average area of their radiographic images reached 2.18 (+/- 0.33) mm2 by day 21. Systemic dexamethasone treatment (0.5 mg/kg, every third day) inhibited the growth of the periapical lesions, which reached an average area of 1.63 (+/- 0.30) (p < 0.01). These results support the hypothesis that bone resorption in periapical inflammatory lesions may be pharmacologically down regulated.
authors.affiliation: Alpha Omega Research Laboratories, The Goldshleger School of Dental Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: Zvi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Metzger
authors.forename: Hagay
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tagger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003789:Dental Pulp Exposure / Q000150:complications; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D010485:Periapical Periodontitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011859:Radiography; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D003907:Dexamethasone