title: Healing action of topical chamomile on 5-fluoracil induced oral mucositis in hamster.
abstract: 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.
  
  
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.affiliation: Universidade Nove de Julho-UNINOVE, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vanessa C S
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Pavesi
authors.forename: Talita C C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: Marco A T
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Manoel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sant'Ana Filho
authors.forename: Sandra K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Bussadori
authors.forename: Kristianne P S
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Raquel A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Mesquita-Ferrari
authors.forename: Manoela D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Martins
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity; D001623:Betamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D031168:Matricaria / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013280:Stomatitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D010936:Plant Extracts; D001623:Betamethasone; D005472:Fluorouracil