Effect of nifedipine on gingival enlargement and periodontal breakdown in ligature-induced periodontitis in rats.
OBJECTIVE
A recent consensus report could not find specific reports of the effect of nifedipine on the destruction of the periodontal tissues. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of nifedipine on gingival enlargement and periodontal breakdown using a ligature-induced periodontitis in rats.


METHODS
Fifty, male, 60 days old, Wistar rats, were divided into six groups. Cotton sutures were placed around the upper second molars. Two groups of 10 rats each did not receive ligatures and were treated daily with either saline solution or nifedipine 50mg/kg/day. Two groups of 10 rats received ligatures and were also treated daily with saline solution or nifedipine 50mg/kg/day. Two additional groups (nifedipine 10 and 100mg/kg/day) were included to explore a possible dose-response relationship. Animals were euthanatised at 30 days. Internal and oral epithelium, total and inflamed connective tissue, gingival thickness and height, and bone loss were assessed histologically.


RESULTS
Nifedipine alone was not sufficient to promote gingival enlargement or periodontal destruction in the absence of the ligature. Compared to animals with ligatures only, the group that received ligatures and nifedipine 50mg/kg/day showed significant higher estimates for total and inflamed connective tissue, gingival thickness and height. No significant differences were observed for bone loss between these experimental groups. The other dosages of nifedipine did not provide additional information.


CONCLUSIONS
Nifedipine itself did not lead to gingival enlargement in rats. In the presence of biofilm accumulation, nifedipine yielded greater gingival enlargement and periodontal inflammation, but it did not increase periodontal destruction.
Federal University of Rio Grande do SulPorto Alegre, Brazil.
Marilene Issa
MI
Fernandes
Eduardo José
EJ
Gaio
Cristiano
C
Susin
Cassiano Kuchenbecker
CK
Rösing
Rui Vicente
RV
Oppermann
Pantelis Varvaki
PV
Rados
D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000209:etiology; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D032561:Cotton Fiber; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004846:Epithelial Attachment / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D005881:Gingiva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D019214:Gingival Overgrowth / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000209:etiology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013537:Sutures; D019237:Tooth Cervix / Q000473:pathology
D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D009543:Nifedipine