Comparing the impact of chitosan and curcumin on the dorsal tongue mucosa of albino rats fed on a high-fat diet: Histological, Immunohistochemical and Ultrastructural study

Background: A high-fat diet (HFD) can elevate the levels of bad cholesterol in the body, which may increase danger of many health problems. Chitosan and curcumin are considered lipid-lowering agents and are associated with significant therapeutic challenges and fewer side effects.Aim of the work: to compare the possible enhancement effects of curcumin and chitosan on the dorsal tongue mucosa of adult male albino rats fed on a high-fat diet.Materials and Methods: 40 adult male albino rats were separated into two main groups: 1) Control group: 10 rats received a normal diet and distilled water for 4 months. 2) Experimental group: 30 rats received a high-fat diet and were equally and randomly divided into the following subgroups: 2A. High-fat diet group: Rats received a diet with high-fat supplemented by cholesterol crystals for 4 months. 2B. Chitosan-treated group: A daily dosage of 500 mg/kg BW chitosan was administered to the rats at the beginning of the fourth month. 2C. Curcumin-treated group: A daily dosage of 1.5 mg/kg BW curcumin was administered to the rats at the beginning of the fourth month. Tongue samples were prepared for histological, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural study. Results: High-fat diets resulted in epithelial degeneration and taste buds atrophy, disorganized muscle fibers, and inflammatory cell infiltration. Chitosan-treated specimens showed epithelial regeneration, increased cellularity, vascularization, and normalized collagen fiber density. Curcumin-treated specimens displayed reduced epithelial thickness and near-normal connective tissue organization, with muscle fibers regaining directional arrangement.Conclusion: High-fat diets caused a cytotoxic effect on tongue dorsal surface, natural products like curcumin and chitosan can mitigate these effects. Future studies should explore their combined therapeutic effects, dosage optimization, nanoscale use, and transmission electron microscopy for ultrastructural changes and alternative natural supplements for hypercholesterolemia treatment.