Inhibitory effects of <i>Colocasia antiquorum</i> var. <i>esculenta</i> varnish on inflammation and alveolar bone loss in a rat ligature-induced periodontitis model

We aimed to evaluate whether Colocasia antiquorum var. esculenta (CA) mixed with experimental varnish inhibits inflammation and alveolar bone loss in a rat ligature-induced periodontitis model. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were tested and cell viability of CA were also evaluated. The varnish mixed with CA (CAV) was applied to ligature site of Sprague-Dawley rats and alveolar bone loss and cytokines were measured. CA exhibited a MIC of 31.3 μg/mL and an MBC of 62.5 μg/mL against Porphyromonas gingivalis, with no cytotoxicity. The CAV group exhibited significantly lower levels of alveolar bone loss than the PC group (p<0.05). The expression of IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 was significantly decreased, while that of Runx2 was significantly increased in the CAV than in the PC group (p<0.05). In conclusion, CAV demonstrated the potential to improve the symptoms of periodontitis.