Abstract

Tooth extraction wound complications occur in everyday clinical practice and their management can sometime be challenging. The process is followed by the characteristic pathohistological changes occurring in the soft tissue surrounding extraction wound that is known to follow several precisely regulated phases. Coenzyme Q10, omnipresent molecule, was found to potentially influence the wound healing process, however, its usage is limited due to its poor availability after application. This study evaluates for the first time the effects of coenzyme Q10 (free and encapsulated in nanoliposomes) treatment regime on osteopontin expression in the inflammatory cells surrounding rat tooth extraction wound and correlates these findings with the oxidative stress (lipid peroxidation and protein oxidative damage) and inflammation (myeloperoxidase and nitric oxide) related biochemical changes in the same tissue. Our results revealed that the encapsulated coenzyme Q10 is statistically significantly (p<0.001) more potent in preventing tissue inflammation and oxidative damage, as well as to inhibit osteopontin expression. Correlation analysis pointed to the fact the coenzyme Q10 activity is not only related to its impact on inflammatory cells activity but to other types of cells as well. The obtained results suggest the use of coenzyme Q10 in dental practice and as a food supplement should be recommended due to its ability to significantly enhance the wound healing process. This is especially true for the encapsulated form of the coenzyme Q10, which exerted the same extent of healing potential almost two times faster than the free form.