tannins and Mouth-Diseases

Treatment of reconstituted collagen fibrils and pieces of rat dermis with the crude extract, purified tannins or (+)-catechin from betel nut (Areca catechu) increases their resistance to both human and bacterial collagenases in a concentration-dependent manner. These tanning agents may stabilise collagen in vivo following damage to the oral epithelium, and promote the sub-epithelial fibrosis which occurs in betel nut chewers.

Topics: Animals; Areca; Catechin; Collagen; Flavonoids; Macromolecular Substances; Microbial Collagenase; Mouth Diseases; Oral Submucous Fibrosis; Phenols; Plants, Medicinal; Polymers; Rats; Tannins

The processed areca catechu (betel) nuts are popularly chewed in the Indian sub-continent. The significance of areca flavanol (tannin) in relation to oral submucous fibrosis and oral carcinogenesis has been reviewed. The quantitative analysis of ten different commercial nut samples from Bombay, India showed wide variations and a higher than average content of flavanols. These variations reflect their appeal and also influence the predisposition of these diseases. The incidence of oral submucous fibrosis and the nut flavanol contents from Bombay and Kerala were taken for comparisons.

Topics: Humans; Mouth Diseases; Oral Submucous Fibrosis; Tannins

Topics: Adult; Alkaloids; Female; Gingivitis; Herpes Labialis; Humans; Mouth Diseases; Pantothenic Acid; Periodontitis; Stomatitis, Aphthous; Tannins; Vasoconstrictor Agents

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Mouth Diseases; Pharyngeal Diseases; Sinusitis; Tannins