The Potential Protective Effect of Curcumin Nanoparticles on Radiated Tongue of Male Albino Rats (Histological and Immunohistochemical Study)

Introduction: Despite radiotherapy being the most commonly used treatment for head and neck malignancies, most patients experience oral problems triggered by DNA damage and subsequent reactive oxygen species production (ROS). Curcumin, an antioxidant found in plant extracts, has recently received the focus of attention for its potential effectiveness against oxidative stress-related disorders, mainly when used in nanoparticles. The tongue is one of the vital organs that could be affected by radiation side effects.
Aim of Work: This study aims to evaluate the cytotoxic influences of radiation on the tongue mucosal tissues and assess the possible protective impact of curcumin nanoparticles (Cur NPs) on these irradiated tissues.
Materials and Methods: Randomly dividing thirty-six male albino rats into four groups, group I (the negative control) had no exposure to radiation nor treatment, group II (the positive control) received Cur NPs without radiation, group III (irradiated), group IV (irradiated+Cur NPs). The heads of rats in groups III and IV were exposed to 15 Gy of radiation. Rats in group IV received Cur NPs orally 48 hours before radiation and daily (100 mg/kg) for a week. At the experiment’s end, tongue tissues were dissected and processed for both histological and immunohistochemical analysis.
Results: Histological examination of group III showed destructive changes in the tongue tissues, but group IV demonstrated greater re-epithelization with nearly typical histological features. Immunohistochemical results using anti-PCNA proved that Cur NPs displayed an improved cell proliferation rate, revealing a better healing effect in group IV compared with groupIII.
Conclusions. Radiotherapy produced histopathological changes and damage in the mucosal tissues of the tongue. However, the administration of Cur NPs before and after radiation has been proven to reduce these damaging effects through their potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties.