The Efficacy of Rosehip Oil Emulsion as a Pro-Healing Herbal Medicine for the Treatment of Induced Mucosal Ulcer (Cell Culture and Experimental Study)

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the impact of rose hip oil emulsion (ROE) on the healing of oral ulcers. The study first utilised the MTT kit to examine the effect of 20 mg/mL ROE on human gingival fibroblast (HGF) proliferation at the cellular level and its effect in treating oral mucosal ulcers at the experimental level.

Materials and methods: Sixty-six adult male rats with a chemically induced ulcer in the buccal mucosa. The animals were distributed randomly into two groups: a control group that had not received any treatment and a test group that was treated with topical ROE 3 times per day for 10 days. The samples were obtained on day 3, day 7, and day 10, and then the tissue staining was done using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and histomorphometric analysis.

Results: The findings of this study demonstrated from cellular investigations that 20 mg/mL ROE can efficiently stimulate HGF proliferation at 24, 48, and 72 h. The animal study results revealed that ROE could substantially boost the healing of the induced ulcer model by lowering the inflammatory cells and extensively promoting collagen formation within the ulcer site on days 3 and 7.

Conclusion: The topical application of 20 mg/mL ROE possesses anti-inflammatory properties, increasing the epithelium thickness and promoting collagen production and remodelling. Therefore, the rosehip oil emulsion can be considered an effective pro-healing agent that accelerates the healing of oral ulcers.

Keywords: anti-inflammatory activity; oral ulcer; rosehip oil; wound healing.

Fig 1

Mean and SD of cell proliferation of fibroblast cells at a concentration of 20 µg/mL rosehip oil emulsion at different intervals.

Fig 2a and b

A photomicrograph of the buccal mucosa of rat. (a) The control group on day 3 showed a large epithelium defect (dashed line), the epithelium at the margin enrolled into the defect (blue arrow), and CT revealed a spread of inflammatory cells in between the muscles (yellow arrow). (b) The treated group on day 3 showed a defect containing granulation tissue (circle); the defect was smaller than the control group, and CT showed more inflammatory cells (yellow arrow) (H&E, ×100)

Fig 2a and b

A photomicrograph of the buccal mucosa of rat. (a) The control group on day 3 showed a large epithelium defect (dashed line), the epithelium at the margin enrolled into the defect (blue arrow), and CT revealed a spread of inflammatory cells in between the muscles (yellow arrow). (b) The treated group on day 3 showed a defect containing granulation tissue (circle); the defect was smaller than the control group, and CT showed more inflammatory cells (yellow arrow) (H&E, ×100)

Fig 3a and b

A photomicrograph of the buccal mucosa of a rat. (a) The control group on day 7 showed intact epithelium with irregular basement membrane (blue arrow), CT filled with dense inflammatory cell infiltrate (yellow arrow), and increased thickness of CT with loss of architecture of underlying muscle (black arrow). (b) The treated group on day 7 showed intact epithelium and underlying CT (blue arrow); the epithelium showed increased thickness with apparent rete pegs and scarce inflammatory cells (yellow arrow) (H&E, ×100)

Fig 3a and b

A photomicrograph of the buccal mucosa of a rat. (a) The control group on day 7 showed intact epithelium with irregular basement membrane (blue arrow), CT filled with dense inflammatory cell infiltrate (yellow arrow), and increased thickness of CT with loss of architecture of underlying muscle (black arrow). (b) The treated group on day 7 showed intact epithelium and underlying CT (blue arrow); the epithelium showed increased thickness with apparent rete pegs and scarce inflammatory cells (yellow arrow) (H&E, ×100)

Fig 4a and b

A photomicrograph of the buccal mucosa of rat. (a) The control group at day 10 showed closed epithelium covered by a relatively thick layer of keratin, with apparent rete pegs (black arrow), and CT showed heavy inflammatory cells (red arrow) and contained interstitial tissue space ( blue arrow). (b) The treated group showed closed epithelium covered with a thicker keratin layer (black arrow), the muscle in the underlying CT runs horizontally (yellow arrow), and the CT showed well-organised collagen fibres (blue arrow). (H&E, ×100)

Fig 4a and b

A photomicrograph of the buccal mucosa of rat. (a) The control group at day 10 showed closed epithelium covered by a relatively thick layer of keratin, with apparent rete pegs (black arrow), and CT showed heavy inflammatory cells (red arrow) and contained interstitial tissue space ( blue arrow). (b) The treated group showed closed epithelium covered with a thicker keratin layer (black arrow), the muscle in the underlying CT runs horizontally (yellow arrow), and the CT showed well-organised collagen fibres (blue arrow). (H&E, ×100)

Fig 5a to f

A photomicrograph of rat buccal mucosa. (a) Control group at day 3 showing a large epithelium defect with collagen fibres at the periphery. (b) The treated group on day 3 showed a defect almost filled with granulation tissue, mainly collagen. (c) The control group on day 7 showed widespread, thin, randomly arranged collagen fibres in the CT. (d) The treated group on day 7 showed coarse, radially organised collagen bundles stained green. (e) The control group at day 10 showed horizontally arranged dense and thick collagen bundles. (f) The treated group at day 10 showed widespread, densely packed, coarse, and organised collagen bundles (Masson trichrome, ×100).

Fig 5a to f

A photomicrograph of rat buccal mucosa. (a) Control group at day 3 showing a large epithelium defect with collagen fibres at the periphery. (b) The treated group on day 3 showed a defect almost filled with granulation tissue, mainly collagen. (c) The control group on day 7 showed widespread, thin, randomly arranged collagen fibres in the CT. (d) The treated group on day 7 showed coarse, radially organised collagen bundles stained green. (e) The control group at day 10 showed horizontally arranged dense and thick collagen bundles. (f) The treated group at day 10 showed widespread, densely packed, coarse, and organised collagen bundles (Masson trichrome, ×100).

Fig 5a to f

A photomicrograph of rat buccal mucosa. (a) Control group at day 3 showing a large epithelium defect with collagen fibres at the periphery. (b) The treated group on day 3 showed a defect almost filled with granulation tissue, mainly collagen. (c) The control group on day 7 showed widespread, thin, randomly arranged collagen fibres in the CT. (d) The treated group on day 7 showed coarse, radially organised collagen bundles stained green. (e) The control group at day 10 showed horizontally arranged dense and thick collagen bundles. (f) The treated group at day 10 showed widespread, densely packed, coarse, and organised collagen bundles (Masson trichrome, ×100).

Fig 5a to f

A photomicrograph of rat buccal mucosa. (a) Control group at day 3 showing a large epithelium defect with collagen fibres at the periphery. (b) The treated group on day 3 showed a defect almost filled with granulation tissue, mainly collagen. (c) The control group on day 7 showed widespread, thin, randomly arranged collagen fibres in the CT. (d) The treated group on day 7 showed coarse, radially organised collagen bundles stained green. (e) The control group at day 10 showed horizontally arranged dense and thick collagen bundles. (f) The treated group at day 10 showed widespread, densely packed, coarse, and organised collagen bundles (Masson trichrome, ×100).

Fig 5a to f

A photomicrograph of rat buccal mucosa. (a) Control group at day 3 showing a large epithelium defect with collagen fibres at the periphery. (b) The treated group on day 3 showed a defect almost filled with granulation tissue, mainly collagen. (c) The control group on day 7 showed widespread, thin, randomly arranged collagen fibres in the CT. (d) The treated group on day 7 showed coarse, radially organised collagen bundles stained green. (e) The control group at day 10 showed horizontally arranged dense and thick collagen bundles. (f) The treated group at day 10 showed widespread, densely packed, coarse, and organised collagen bundles (Masson trichrome, ×100).

Fig 5a to f

A photomicrograph of rat buccal mucosa. (a) Control group at day 3 showing a large epithelium defect with collagen fibres at the periphery. (b) The treated group on day 3 showed a defect almost filled with granulation tissue, mainly collagen. (c) The control group on day 7 showed widespread, thin, randomly arranged collagen fibres in the CT. (d) The treated group on day 7 showed coarse, radially organised collagen bundles stained green. (e) The control group at day 10 showed horizontally arranged dense and thick collagen bundles. (f) The treated group at day 10 showed widespread, densely packed, coarse, and organised collagen bundles (Masson trichrome, ×100).

Fig 6

Percentage of collagen formation (%) in Masson staining of two groups at different time intervals.