Anti-inflammatory effects and attenuation of alveolar bone loss potential of honeysuckle-derived nanovesicles (HELNs) in periodontitis treatment

Periodontitis is a common chronic inflammatory disease primarily caused by the accumulation of dental plaque and host immune responses. If left untreated, it can lead to alveolar bone resorption and tooth loss. Existing treatments such as antibiotics and surgical interventions have limitations, making the need for new, safe, and effective therapeutic strategies urgent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effective mitigating effect of honeysuckle derived nano-vesicles (HELNs) on periodontitis symptoms. We extracted HELNs from Honeysuckle using ultracentrifugation and evaluated their effects in both in vitro and animal experiments. The methods included an LPS-PG-induced human gingival epithelial cell (HGE) model to assess the effects of HELNs on cell viability, inflammatory cytokine secretion, and MAPK pathway regulation. An SD rat periodontitis model was used to evaluate the impact of HELNs on gingival inflammation, alveolar bone loss, and tissue repair. The results showed that HELNs significantly inhibited the inflammatory response induced by LPS-PG and reduced the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α; meanwhile, HELNs downregulated the phosphorylation of key MAPK pathway proteins including p-ERK, p-p38, and p-JNK. In animal experiments, HELNs significantly reduced gingival swelling, redness, and inflammation, promoted bone tissue regeneration, and effectively decreased alveolar bone loss. In conclusion, Honeysuckle-derived Nanovesicles, as a novel anti-inflammatory therapeutic strategy, demonstrated significant efficacy, and have promising clinical application prospects. Clinical significance: This study provides a new strategy for the treatment of periodontitis derived from natural medicines, which demonstrates great clinical potential to replace or supplement traditional therapies through efficient anti-inflammatory effects and promotion of alveolar bone resorption.