New concentration of curcumin orabase in recurrent aphthous stomatitis: A randomized, controlled clinical trial

Background: The etiology of the aphthous lesion is unclear. Different treatments have been proposed for the management of pain, inflammation, and duration of lesions. However, attempts to find new treatments are continued. Curcumin has been found to have anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-microbial, anti-tumor properties. Aims: The present study aimed for the first time to compare the efficacy regarding the administration of 5 % of Curcumin (new concentration) and 0.1 % of triamcinolone acetonide (standard control) for treating recurrent aphthous stomatitis. Methods and material: The patients were divided into two groups. Group A (N = 29) was treated with 5 % of Curcumin orabase, while 0.1 % of triamcinolone acetonide orabase was administered for group B (N = 29). Treatment was administered in both groups three times a day for 10 days. Data on lesion size, pain severity (based on Visual Analogue Scale) and efficacy index were recorded before treatment and 1, 4, 7, 10 days after the beginning of the treatment. Results: There were no statistical differences in pain severity, lesion size or efficacy index between the two groups. The average size of lesions decreased in both groups after treatment. Conclusions: The results showed that, administration of 5 % of Curcumin is as effective as 0.1 % of triamcinolone acetonide for treatment of aphthous lesions. Therefore, it could be used for patients with a contraindication against corticosteroids.