Exploring the role of cranberry polyphenols in periodontits: A brief review

Beneficial effects of cranberry juice enriched with omega-3 fatty acids in patients with type 2 diabetic and periodontal disease: A randomized pilot clinical trial

Background

The present study evaluated the effects of cranberry juice enriched with omega-3 on inflammatory, oxidative stress, and periodontal status in diabetic patients with periodontal disease.

Methods

Forty-one patients with diabetes (35‒67 years old) and periodontal disease were assigned to four groups: C: control (n=12), I1: omega-3 (n=10, 1 g), I2: cranberry juice (n=9, 200 mL), and I3: cranberry juice enriched with omega-3 (n=10, 200 mL, containing 1 g of omega-3) twice daily for 8 weeks. Serum and salivary total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA), serum uric acid, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), clinical attachment loss (CAL), pocket depth (PD), bleeding on probing (BOP), and plaque index were evaluated in all the subjects before and after the intervention.

Results

Serum and salivary TAC increased, and salivary MDA decreased in the I3 group compared with the control group. Additionally, serum MDA decreased in the I2 and I3 groups while serum TAC increased. Serum hs-CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α decreased in the I3 group compared with the baseline. Furthermore, serum hs-CRP and IL-6 decreased in the I3 group compared with the control group. After the intervention, PD and CAL significantly reduced in all the groups.

Conclusion

The consumption of cranberry juice enriched with omega-3 can be helpful as adjuvant therapy with non-surgical periodontal treatment in decreasing serum levels of IL-6 and hs-CRP, as well as serum and salivary levels of MDA while also increasing serum and salivary levels of TAC.

Rinsing solutions containing natural extracts and fluoride prevent enamel erosion in vitro

BACKGROUND

Polyphenols interact with salivary proteins and thus can improve the pellicle's erosion protective properties. This effect could be exploited to create rinsing solutions with polyphenols as active ingredients for erosion prevention. Different from the current gold standard for erosion protective rinsing solutions, these rinses would not rely on stannous ions. This would offer alternatives for patients with concerns regarding the composition of rinsing solutions and preferring bio-products.

OBJECTIVE

To develop an erosion-preventive rinsing solution containing natural polyphenol-rich extracts.

METHODOLOGY

Solutions were prepared with polyphenols from either grapeseed extract or cranberry extract, 500 ppm fluoride added, and additionally flavors and sweeteners. Controls were deionized water, 500 ppm fluoride solution, and the gold standard rinse in the field (Sn2+/F-). In total, 135 enamel specimens (n=15/group) were subjected to five cycles of salivary pellicle formation (30 min, 37°C), modification with the solutions (2 min, 25°C), further salivary pellicle formation (60 min, 37°C), and erosive challenge (1 min, 1% citric acid, pH 3.6). Relative surface microhardness (rSMH), surface reflection intensity (rSRI), and amount of calcium release (CaR) were investigated. Data were analyzed with Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon rank sum tests (α=0.05).

RESULTS

The polyphenol solutions containing fluoride, as well as additional flavors, protected enamel better than fluoride alone, and similar to the Sn2+/F- solution, when investigating both rSMH and CaR. When measuring rSRI, Sn2+/F- showed the best protection, while the polyphenol solutions were similar to fluoride.

CONCLUSION

For two of the three assessed parameters (rSMH and CaR), both developed polyphenol-rich rinsing solutions were able to protect enamel from erosion, improving/potentializing the effect of fluoride and matching the protection offered by the current gold standard rinsing solution.

Comparative clinical evaluation of a local drug delivery of cranberry and garcinia fruit gel with tetracycline fibers for amelioration of periodontitis: A split mouth study

Background

The present study formulates and evaluates a polyberry gel comprising extracts of cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) and brindle berry (Garcinia cambogia) in patients suffering from chronic periodontitis.

Materials and Methods

The polyberry gel was evaluated for various physicochemical parameters, in vitro permeability and stability, and the active phytoconstituents were quantified by High-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). Total phenolic content, total antioxidants, and ascorbic acid were estimated in the two extracts by in vitro assays. Patients suffering from chronic periodontitis with probing pocket depth (PPD) up to 5 mm were divided into 3 groups of 21 patients each and treated with scaling and root planing (SRP) or SRP followed by subgingival placement of polyberry gel or tetracycline fibers (standard). Plaque Index (PI), Gingival Index (GI), PPD, Clinical Attachment Level (CAL), and the salivary aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were recorded at baseline and after 1 month.

Results

A significant (P < 0.01) reduction in the periodontic disease parameters was observed in the standard and gel-treated groups between their baseline and 1-month time-interval readings. The polyberry gel treatment significantly (P < 0.05 for AST and P < 0.01 for the rest) attenuated the periodontitis-elevated PI, GI PPD, CAL, AST and CRP levels when compared with SRP at the end of the study and was comparable with tetracycline.

Conclusion

The amelioration of periodontitis and gingival inflammation may be attributed to the potent antioxidant activity of the polyphenolic phytoconstituents of the gel. The polyberry gel may thus be used as a safe adjunct to SRP/tetracycline in chronic periodontitis.

Propolis and Diet Rich in Polyphenols as Cariostatic Agents Reducing Accumulation of Dental Plaque

Conducted studies indicate the relationship between oral health and systemic diseases. Moreover, the latest research indicated that cariogenic bacteria may severely influence the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection and increase risk of COVID-19 complications. This article aims to review various applications of propolis and pay attention to a healthy diet rich in polyphenols, which may allow the reduction of dental plaque accumulation. A literature review has been conducted from June until November 2021. It showed that propolis could be a useful agent in decreasing the accumulation of dental plaque. Moreover, a diet rich in polyphenols prevents cariogenic bacteria and reduces the accumulation of dental plaque. A reduction of a dental plaque may influence the risk of a severe course of COVID-19. Therefore, propolis and a diet rich in polyphenols may play an important role in prophylaxis of systemic diseases. Recently, it has been proven that oral infection may affect cardiovascular system, musculoskeletal system, respiratory system, nervous system, as well as may be a risk factor for diabetes mellitus. These aspects should stimulate clinicians to further research about polyphenols.

Variability in the Qualitative and Quantitative Composition and Content of Phenolic Compounds in the Fruit of Introduced American Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton)

The aim of this study was to determine the composition and content of phenolic compounds in ethanol extracts of eight different cultivars of American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton) fruit using spectrophotometric and UPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis and to evaluate the antioxidant activity in vitro of these extracts. The highest total amount of phenolic compounds evaluated via Folin–Ciocalteu spectrophotometry was detected in American cranberry fruit samples of the ‘Bain’ clone, and the highest total amount of flavonoids was found in samples of the ‘Drever’ and ‘Baiwfay’ cultivars. The highest total amount of the individual phenolic compounds (519.53 ± 25.12 mg/g DW) identified and quantitatively evaluated via chromatography was detected in samples of the ‘Searles’ cranberry cultivar. In the studied cranberry samples, the predominant phenolic compounds were hyperoside, quercetin, and procyanidin A2, while the amounts of other compounds were significantly lower. HCA and PCA revealed that ‘Woolman’, ‘Holliston’, ‘Pilgrim, and ‘Searles’ fruit samples had different quantitative content of phenolic compounds from other cranberry cultivars. Meanwhile, fruit of ‘Baiwfay’, ‘Drever’, ‘Bain’, and ‘Bergman’ were similar in their phytochemical profile.