Muco-bioadhesive containing ginger officinale extract in the management of recurrent aphthous stomatitis: A randomized clinical study

BACKGROUND: Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is the most common oral mucosal lesions in the general population. Various treatment modalities have been used; but no specific therapy proved to be definitive. Ginger Officinale (ginger) indicated to have anti-inflammatory properties in herbal medicine. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of ginger containing bioadhesive in the treatment of aphthous ulcers. METHODS: In this randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial, 15 patients were enrolled. The clinical efficacy of the mucoadhessive on pain, inflammatory zone and ulcer's diameter in the test period was compared with that of the base treatment and no treatment periods during 10 days of study. RESULTS: Significant reduction in pain was observed on day 5 between placebo (using base bioadhesives) and without treatment periods at the first phase of the study (4.53 vs. 3.27; P=0.038. ( Reduction in inflamed halo diameters was significant on day 1 between without treatment and ginger containing bioadhesives )46.73 vs 28.67; P=0.044). Other variables such as the diameter of ulcers did not indicate any significant differences in both periods. CONCLUSION: This study indicated that ginger bioadhesive is capable to relieve pain of RAS. However, its efficacy on ulcer diameter, inflamed halo and healing time was not significantly different compared to the results of the placebo received period.