Toxicity evaluation using the chicken embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay of a lidocaine-loaded liquid crystalline system based on grape seed oil and hyaluronic acid for topical application in oral mucositis lesions

• Grant number: 21/06199-0
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): October 01, 2021
• Effective date (End): September 30, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry
• Principal researcher: Michelle Franz Montan Braga Leite
• Grantee: Laura Campos Dutra de Moraes
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba (FOP). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Oral mucositis is an inflammatory disease that manifests throughout the oral cavity and it can affect the pharynx, larynx, esophagus and other areas. It becomes necessary to discover new therapeutic alternatives since oral mucositis does not have a good treatment. The grape is considered one of the most beneficial fruit for health, as it has important pharmacological actions due to the presence of polyphenols. Thus, the use of grape seed oil as the oil phase of liquid crystalline systems (LCS) could be interesting for the topical treatment for oral mucositis. Hyaluronic acid will be used as the aqueous phase of the LCS, because it promotes greater mucoadhesion. In this formulation, lidocaine was chosen as local anesthetic, since it is widely used in dentistry and considered safe; but it is necessary to investigate the toxicity of lidocaine associated with this novel formulation. In this context, animal models, especially rodents, are the most used by the scientific society for toxicity tests. However, the search for decreasing the use of animals in laboratory tests has increased, thus, methodological alternatives are being urgently explored. In this context, the chicken embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model emerges as an easy-access, simple and low-cost method, in addition to presenting important biological responses, and for being able to provide information about the performance of drugs well as of its toxicity. The aim of this study is to evaluate the toxicity of a formulation composed of lidocaine incorporated in LCS (LCS/LDC) based on grape seed oil and hyaluronic acid using the chicken embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model. Thus, it will be prepared a LCS composed of polyoxypropylene (5) polyoxyethylene (20) cetyl ether as surfactant, grape seed oil as oil phase, aqueous hyaluronic acid dispersion as aqueous phase, and lidocaine. Subsequently, the toxicity of LCS/LDC will be investigated using the in vivo chicken embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model. It is expected that this project can contribute to a new therapeutic alternative for symptomatic relief in addition to being more effective for the healing of oral mucositis.