Pathomorphological changes in periodontal tissues under experimental chronic opioid exposure

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26641/1997-9665.2025.2.54-58

Keywords:

opioid analgesic, periodontal tissues, rats, histological examination

Abstract

Relevance. Long-term opioid therapy can lead to overdose, a primary cause of increased morbidity and mortality. The study of pathological changes at the microstructural level in internal organs, including those of the oral cavity and periodontal tissues, that develop as a result of prolonged opioid exposure, is an undeniably relevant contemporary problem. Objective. The aim of our research was to investigate the characteristics of the microstructure of rats periodontal complex tissues following ten weeks of experimental opioid analgesic exposure. Methods. The study used 20 adult male Wistar rats (255 g body weight, 6.5 months old). The experiment lasted 70 days. Nalbuphine was administered intramuscularly, with a gradual increase in dosage every two weeks. The initial dose was 0.212 mg/kg, increasing to 0.283 mg/kg over weeks 9-10. For histological examination, components of the upper and lower jaw teeth of the rats were used. Histological preparations were prepared using standard techniques, employing hematoxylin, eosin, and azan staining according to the Heidenhain method. Results. At the microstructural level, thinning and necrotic changes in the gingival epithelium and fibrinoid swelling in the connective tissue were observed. The severity of the dystrophic-inflammatory process was determined by pathogenetic factors, including the formation of deep periodontal pockets with deeper penetration into tissues, impaired microcirculation leading to hypoxia, and a combination of stromal-vascular dystrophy types. Conclusion. By the end of the ten-week experimental opioid exposure, along with inflammatory-destructive changes, significant dystrophic lesions of the periodontal complex tissues were observed. The detected pathomorphological changes are a result of the prolonged action of the opioid analgesic, leading to a negative impact on the structural components of the periodontium.

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Published

2025-07-30

How to Cite

Fik , V., Krynytskyi , R., & Dudok , O. (2025). Pathomorphological changes in periodontal tissues under experimental chronic opioid exposure. Морфологія / Morphologia / Morfologìâ, 19(2), 54–58. https://doi.org/10.26641/1997-9665.2025.2.54-58

Issue

Vol. 19 No. 2 (2025)

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Статті

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