Effects of Bee Pollen on Alveolar Bone Loss and Inflammatory Markers in Rats with Experimental Periodontitis

Year 2025, Volume: 26 Issue: 3, 340 - 349, 22.09.2025

Senem Filiz , Nuray Ercan , Esra Ateş Yildirim , Selma Erdoğan Düzcü

https://doi.org/10.69601/meandrosmdj.1690457

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to investigate both the systemic and local anti-inflammatory effects of bee pollen in a rat model of experimental periodontitis.
Materials and Methods: A total of 24 rats were randomly divided into three experimental groups: 1) healthy (H), 2) periodontitis (P), and 3) periodontitis + bee pollen (P+BP). Experimental periodontitis was induced by placing ligatures on maxillary molars. Bee pollen was administered orally to the P+BP group for 14 days. On the 15th day of the experiment, the rats were euthanized, and jaw tissues along with serum samples were collected for biochemical, histological, histomorphometric, and immunohistochemical evaluations. Serum concentrations of IL-4 and IL-6 were determined using ELISA, while RANKL and OPG expressions were evaluated through immunohistochemical staining.
Results: Bone loss was higher in the periodontitis groups than in the healthy group, but the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). There were no significant differences in serum IL-4 and IL-6 levels between the groups (p > 0.05). Immunohistochemical analysis indicated a significant increase in OPG and a decrease in RANKL expression in the P+BP group compared to the P group (p < 0.05). Histological examination also demonstrated notably less inflammation in the P+BP group than in the P group (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, it was determined that systemic bee pollen administration had no effect on serum IL-4 and IL-6 parameters, reduced RANKL levels, increased OPG levels, and thus may prevent alveolar bone loss due to periodontitis.

Keywords

Alveolar bone loss , Bees , Interleukin-4 , Interleukin-6 , Periodontitis , Rats

Ethical Statement

The animal experiment protocol was approved by the Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University Animal Research Local Ethics Committee (Decision number: 2024/11)

Supporting Institution

This study was supported by Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University Scientific Research Center (Project number: 2024-TDR-6.12.47-0005).

Project Number

Project number: 2024-TDR-6.12.47-0005

Thanks

The authors express their thanks to Dr. Meral Kekeçoğlu in the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Düzce; Düzce, Turkey, for providing bee pollen.

Arı Poleninin Deneysel Periodontitisli Sıçanlarda Alveolar Kemik Kaybı ve Enflamatuar Belirteçler Üzerindeki Etkileri

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, deneysel periodontitiste arı poleninin sistemik ve lokal anti-inflamatuar etkinliğini değerlendirmektir.
Gereç ve Yöntemler: Yirmi dört sıçan rastgele üç gruba ayrıldı: 1) periodontal sağlıklı (H), 2) deneysel periodontitis (P) ve 3) deneysel periodontitis + arı poleni (P+BP). Deneysel periodontitis, maksiller molarlara ligatürler yerleştirilerek oluşturuldu. Arı poleni, P+BP grubuna 14 gün boyunca oral yoldan verildi. 15. günde sıçanlar ötanazi edildi ve biyokimyasal, histolojik, histomorfometrik ve immünohistokimyasal analizler için çene ve serum örnekleri toplandı. Serum IL-4 ve IL-6 düzeyleri ELISA ile ölçülürken, RANKL ve OPG ekspresyonu immün boyama ile değerlendirildi.
Bulgular: Kemik kaybı periodontitis gruplarında sağlıklı gruba göre daha yüksekti, ancak fark istatistiksel olarak anlamlı değildi (p > 0,05). Serum IL-4 ve IL-6 düzeyleri gruplar arasında anlamlı bir şekilde farklılık göstermedi (p > 0,05). İmmünohistokimya, P+BP grubunda P grubuna kıyasla anlamlı şekilde daha yüksek OPG ve daha düşük RANKL düzeyleri gösterdi (p < 0,05). Histopatolojik bulgular, P+BP grubunda P grubuna kıyasla anlamlı şekilde daha az inflamasyon olduğunu ortaya koydu (p < 0,05).
Sonuç: Sonuç olarak, sistemik arı poleni uygulamasının serum IL-4 ve IL-6 parametreleri üzerinde hiçbir etkisi olmadığı, RANKL düzeylerini düşürdüğü, OPG düzeylerini artırdığı görülmüş ve bu nedenle periodontitise bağlı alveolar kemik kaybını önleyebileceği belirlendi.

Keywords

Alveolar kemik kaybı , Arılar , İnterlökin-4 , İnterlökin-6 , Periodontitis , Sıçanlar

Project Number

Project number: 2024-TDR-6.12.47-0005

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