title: Adjunctive Local Delivery of Aloe Vera Gel in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and Chronic Periodontitis: A Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Herbal agents such as Aloe vera (AV) have been used in medical and dental therapy for thousands of years. AV has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, hypoglycemic, healing-promoting, and immune-boosting properties. This study aims to investigate the clinical effectiveness of locally delivered AV gel used as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) in the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and chronic periodontitis (CP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty patients with probing depth (PD) ≥ 5 mm and clinical attachment level (CAL) ≥ 3 mm were randomly divided into two groups. All patients underwent SRP. Placebo gel was locally delivered to group 1 and AV gel to group 2. Full-mouth plaque index (PI), modified sulcus bleeding index (mSBI), PD, and CAL were recorded at baseline and 3 and 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients in group 2 showed significantly greater mean reductions in PI, mSBI, and PD and mean gain in CAL compared with those in group 1 from baseline to 3 months. Gain in CAL was significantly greater in group 2 at all time intervals versus group 1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adjunctive use of locally delivered AV gel, in comparison to locally delivered placebo gel, is associated with greater reduction in PI, mSBI, and PD as well as more gain in CAL in patients with T2DM and CP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Government Dental College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Pradeep
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Government Dental College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Vibhuti
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Garg
authors.affiliation: Department of Radio-diagnosis, Uttarakhand Government Medical College, Haldwani, Uttarakhand, India.
authors.forename: Arjun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raju
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Grant Medical College & JJ Group of Hospitals, JJ Marg, Nagpada-Mumbai Central, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Priyanka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D055113:Chronic Periodontitis; D012534:Dental Scaling; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010518:Periodontitis; D016745:Root Planing; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Aloe; chronic periodontitis; dental scaling; herbal medicine; periodontal pocket; regeneration