title: Clinical efficacy of new aloe vera- and myrrh-based oral mucoadhesive gels in the management of minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis: a randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical efficacy, and safety of newly customized natural oral mucoadhesive gels, containing either aloe vera or myrrh as active ingredients, in the management of minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis (MiRAS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety subjects with MiRAS were recruited from Oral Medicine Clinic, at Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia, for this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Two new natural gels, containing aloe vera and myrrh, were prepared in a concentration of (0.5% w/w), in addition to a plain mucoadhesive gel used as a placebo. Patients with fresh ulcers (<48-h duration) were instructed to apply either one of the three gels four times a day for a period of 5 days. Clinical efficacy was investigated in the form of changes in ulcer size, pain intensity, erythema, and exudation at days 4 and 6 of study entry. Participants were interviewed for the emergence of any side effects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  76.6% of patients using aloe gel showed complete ulcer healing, 86.7%, and 80% of them revealed subsidence of erythema and exudation, respectively, especially at day 6 visit, whereas 76.7% of myrrh-treated patients revealed almost absence of pain at day 6. No side effects were encountered with the use of any of the three gels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The new formulated aloe- and myrrh-based gels proved to be effective in topical management of MiRAS. Aloe was superior in decreasing ulcer size, erythema, and exudation; whereas myrrh resulted in more pain reduction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Basic and Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Department of Oral Medicine, Periodontology, Oral Diagnosis and Oral Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ghada
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mansour
authors.forename: Soliman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ouda
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shaker
authors.forename: Hossam M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Abdallah
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000504:Aloe; D002482:Cellulose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D029744:Commiphora; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004890:Erythema / Q000188:drug therapy; D005122:Exudates and Transudates / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005782:Gels / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010226:Parabens / Q000737:chemistry; D010919:Placebos; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019946:Propylene Glycol / Q000737:chemistry; D012008:Recurrence; D012449:Safety; D013281:Stomatitis, Aphthous / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D064232:Visual Analog Scale; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D010226:Parabens; D010919:Placebos; D010936:Plant Extracts; D019946:Propylene Glycol; D002482:Cellulose; C015358:methylparaben; C006068:propylparaben
keywords: aloe; aphthous ulceration; myrrh; oral mucosa