Ganoderma Lucidum Reduces Inflammation- Induced Bone Loss: A Pilot Study in Rats

Background: Periodontal diseases are characterized by destruction of the tooth-supporting structure and may be a hazard to general health. Ganoderma lucidum (GL) has had a variety of pharmacological activities on joint-derived tissues/cells for decades. However, the therapeutic potential of GL on periodontal destruction has not been investigated. In the present study, we investigated the effects of GL in a rat model of periodontal disease induced by ligature placement.
Materials and methods: Male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into three groups: 1) animals without ligature placement receiving empty vehicle (control); 2) animals with ligature receiving empty vehicle; 3) animals with ligature receiving GL (10 mg/kg/day). The animals were sacrificed on day 10, and tissue samples were prepared for further analysis.
Results: The results demonstrated that the administration of GL ameliorated periodontal and bone destruction. Histomorphological analyses revealed that GL treatment decreased infiltration of polymorphonuclear cells in periodontal tissues.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that GL could constitute a promising therapeutic drug to treat periodontal disease.