Effect of Lavender Essential Oil on Inflammatory Cell Response in Ligature-Induced Periodontitis in Rats

Authors

  • Ali A. Al-Asadi
  • Ahmed K. Hussien Al-Shabeeb
  • Ali Muneer Sahib
  • Maytham Yahya Altufaili
  • Almustafa Alhumadi College of Dentistry, University of Kufa, Najaf, Iraq

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/d3000.2026.1517

Keywords:

Gingiva, Periodontium, Periodontics

Abstract

To evaluate the effect of systemically administered lavender essential oil on circulating inflammatory cell counts in a ligature-induced rat model of periodontitis. Periodontitis was induced in 18 rats using a 3-0 silk ligature placed around the maxillary right second molar the first use of this model in Iraq. Animals were randomly divided into three groups (n = 6 each): control (no ligation), ligated-only, and ligated plus daily oral systemic lavender essential oil (600 mg/kg). After 11 days, blood samples were collected via cardiac puncture and analyzed using an automated blood analyzer to quantify white blood cells, lymphocytes, monocytes, and granulocytes. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA with Tukey's HSD post-hoc test (SPSS v19). The control group showed no evidence of inflammation, while both ligated groups showed significant increases across all inflammatory cell types (p < 0.001). No statistically significant difference was found between the ligated-only and ligated-plus-lavender groups for WBC, granulocytes, or monocytes, indicating that lavender oil did not attenuate the systemic inflammatory response beyond ligation alone. Systemic administration of lavender essential oil (600 mg/kg) had no significant effect on inflammatory cell counts in ligature-induced periodontitis in rats. Future studies should investigate topical, rather than systemic, application.

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Published

2026-08-14

Issue

Section

Mechanisms of Oral Disease