Systemic toxicity assessment of tissue conditioners modified with nystatin and chlorhexidine in a rat model of denture stomatitis.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the potential systemic toxicity of a tissue conditioner modified with antifungals in a rat model of denture stomatitis.

METHODOLOGY: Male Wistar rats (N=59) were randomly assigned to the following groups: NC (negative control), SD (sterile device), DS (denture stomatitis), Soft (Softone), Nys (nystatin), Nys:βCD (nystatin:β-cyclodextrin), Chx (chlorhexidine), and Chx:βCD (chlorhexidine:β-cyclodextrin). Animals of all groups, except for NC and SD, wore a palatal device contaminated with Candida albicans for the induction of denture stomatitis. Rats from the Soft group had their devices relined with a tissue conditioner (Softone) with no drugs added, while devices from groups Nys, Nys:βCD, Chx, and Chx:βCD were relined with antifungals at their minimum inhibitory concentrations against C. albicans SC5314 (32 mg, 36 mg, 64 mg, and 46 mg for each gram of tissue conditioner, respectively). Four days after treatment, the animals had their blood collected for biochemical analyses and had their livers, lungs, stomachs, and kidneys removed for histopathological and enzymatic analyses.

RESULTS

No significant renal, gastric, or pulmonary changes were detected. Some rats from groups Nys, Nys:βCD, Chx, and Chx:βCD presented vacuolation of hepatocytes, although this is not necessarily a sign of hepatic damage. However, the livers of the Chx group presented higher myeloperoxidase activity when compared to the NC, SD, and DS groups.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that incorporating Nys, Nys:βCD, and Chx:βCD into this tissue conditioner may represent a safe option for denture stomatitis treatment.