Water-soluble yeast β-glucan accelerates oral ulcer healing in rats via collagen synthesis and epithelial regeneration

Oral ulcer is a common, painful lesion that heals slowly and easily becomes secondary-infected. β-glucan, a well-known immunomodulator, has shown potential in promoting wound repair. However, the therapeutic efficacy of its water-soluble form on oral mucosal wounds remains insufficiently studied. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of water-soluble yeast β-glucan on the healing of oral ulcers in a rat model. Forty rats were randomly assigned to five groups (n = 8): (1) negative control (2), standard care control (0.12% chlorhexidine), and (3–5) experimental groups treated with 0.1%, 0.5%, or 1.0% water-soluble yeast β-glucan, respectively. Oral ulcers were chemically induced, and lesion size and clinical status were monitored daily. Histopathological changes were assessed by hematoxylin–eosin, Masson trichrome, and immunohistochemical staining. Data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance using GraphPad Prism 10.0; P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. On day 6, water-soluble yeast β-glucan- and chlorhexidine-treated rats exhibited significantly smaller ulcer areas, faster healing rates, complete epithelialization, and improved histological scores compared with the negative controls (P < 0.05). Water-soluble yeast β-glucan treatment also increased collagen deposition (P < 0.05). Moreover, water-soluble yeast β-glucan-treated animals showed significantly greater weight gain than the negative controls (P < 0.0001). This study establishes the beneficial effect of water-soluble yeast β-glucan on oral mucosal repair and provides a clear rationale for its clinical evaluation in human oral ulcers.