Antiseptic Effect of Betel Quid Extract on Lip Mucosal Wound of male Wistar (Rattus novergicus) Rats.

Antiseptic is commonly used in dentistry practices, but some antiseptics have side effects such as allergy. Therefore, natural substances are developed as substitute, i.e betel quid which consisted of betel leaf, areca nut, gambier, and mineral slaked lime. The aim of this study was to determine antiseptic effect of betel quid extract on lip mucosal wound of male Wistar (Rattus norvegicus) rats. This study was true experimental in vivo. Thirty rats were divided into five groups; three groups were treated with betel quid extract ointments at concentration of 5%, 10% and 20%, one group was positive control (hyaluronic acid) and last group was negative control (placebo). One-mm diameter of wound was made on lower lip mucosa of rats with cylinder diamond bur. All wounds were swabbed before and after treatment, and the number of bacterial colonies grown in agar plates were counted. The results showed that there was significant decrease of bacterial colony numbers for respective groups, except for negative control (p < 0.05). Ointment containing 20% betel quid extract had antiseptic effect similar to 0.2% hyaluronic acid. It can be concluded that betel quid extract had antiseptic effect on lip mucosal wound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]