Histological and Histomorphometric Evaluation of Ginger Oil Influence on Incisional Oral Wound Healing in Rats

Autores

  • Bayan Jabr Hussein 1Department of Oral Histology, College of Dentistry, University of Kufa, Najaf, Iraq.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/d3000.2026.1630

Palavras-chave:

Rat Model, Ginger Oil, Wound Healing, Epithelium

Resumo

Oral mucosal wounds affect the tissues lining the oral cavity and may result from trauma, surgery, burns, infections, or systemic diseases. The oral mucosa heals faster than the skin because of its moist environment, rich blood supply, and saliva. However, healing can be affected by microbial contamination, mechanical irritation, and other underlying health conditions. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a medicinal plant with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties that may support oral wound healing. Its active compounds, including gingerols, shogaols, and zingerone, help reduce inflammation, control microbes, and protect tissues from oxidative damage. Ginger also enhances fibroblast activity, collagen production, angiogenesis, and re-epithelialization, which contribute to faster tissue repair and healing of oral mucosal wounds. The goal of this work was to perform histological assessment of the impact of topical ginger oil on the healing of incisional wounds in the oral mucosa of rats. A total of ten adult male Wistar albino rats of 250-350 g weight and ages of 3-5 months were used in the current study. Full-thickness surgical intramuscular incisional wounds were made in the lining buccal mucosal membrane of each rat’s cheek. The rats were grouped as follows: control group (incisional wound induction on the left side of the cheek lining buccal mucosa was allowed to heal spontaneously) and study group (incisional wound on the right side of the cheek lining buccal mucosa was treated daily with topical application of ginger oil). At the end of the healing period (3 and 7 days), all rats were sacrificed by an overdose of general anesthetic, and tissue specimens were prepared for clinical histological analysis. The mean wound contraction size, number of inflammatory cells, and epithelial thickness were measured by histological assessment under a light microscope. Inflammatory cell counts were significantly higher in the study group than in the control group on days 3 and 7 (P=0.008). The highest mean value was observed on day 3 in the study group, followed by a gradual decrease over time. Epithelial thickness increased progressively over time in both groups; the study group showed significantly higher epithelial thickness than the control group at both day 3 and 7. Topical application of ginger oil accelerated oral wound healing in rats owing to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and pro-healing properties. These findings suggest that ginger oil may be a promising adjunct therapy for promoting oral mucosal repair.

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Publicado

2026-10-12

Edição

v. 14 n. 3 (2026): Fall

Seção

Mechanisms of Oral Disease

Licença

Copyright (c) 2026 Bayan Jabr Hussein

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Revised 7/16/2018. Revision Description: Removed outdated link.