The effects of ginger supplementation on inflammatory, antioxidant, and periodontal parameters in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with chronic periodontitis under non-surgical periodontal therapy. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Abstract

Background

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of ginger supplementation on inflammatory, antioxidant, and periodontal parameters in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with chronic periodontitis (CP) under non-surgical periodontal therapy (NSPT).

Material and methods

In this double-blind clinical trial study, 46 T2DM patients with CP were randomly allocated to intervention and control groups and received either 4 tablets 500 mg (2 g) ginger or placebo twice a day for 8 weeks. All patients were treated with NSPT during the intervention period. Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), hs-C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), periodontal indices including clinical attachment loss (CAL), bleeding on probing (BOP), pocket depth (PD), and plaque index were evaluated in all subjects pre- and post-intervention.

Results

Following 8 weeks of ginger treatment with NSPT, significant reductions were observed in the mean levels of IL-6 (p=0.001), hs-CRP (p=0.03), TNF-α (p=0.007), CAL, and PD (p<0.001) in the intervention group. The mean serum levels of SOD and GPx were significantly increased in the intervention group after the intervention (p=0.001 and 0.002, respectively). At the end of the study, the mean changes of GPx were significantly higher in the intervention group compared with the control group (p=0.04). Also, after the administration of the ginger with NSPT, significant decrease occurred in the mean change of IL-6 (p=0.009), hs-CRP (p=0.049), TNF-α (p=0.049), CAL (p=0.003), and PD (p=0.04) compared with the control group.

Conclusion

It is recommended that ginger supplementation along with NSPT may be effective in the improvement of inflammation, oxidative, and periodontal status in T2DM with CP.

Keywords:

• type 2 diabetes mellitus
• periodontal disease
• ginger
• inflammation
• antioxidant enzymes

Acknowledgments

The authors express thanks to the Nutrition and Metabolic Disorders Research Center, and Research Center for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism clinic employees of Imam Khomeini Hospital and Dental Clinic of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences. This research project was sponsored by the Vice-Chancellor for Research Affairs of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences (NRC-9631).

Compliance with ethical standards

This study was done according to the guidelines of the Helsinki Declaration and all procedures involving human patients were approved by the Ethics Committee of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences (Ethical Code. IR.AJUMS.REC.1396.925). Written informed consent was obtained from all patients before initiating the study.

Data sharing statement

The datasets are not publicly available because of lack of agreement for disclosing individual raw data in public but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Abbreviations

DM, diabetes mellitus; CP, chronic periodontitis; TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor-alpha; hs-CRP, hs-C-reactive protein; SOD, superoxide dismutase; CAT, catalase; GPx, glutathione peroxidase; GST, glutathione S-transferase; GPx, glutathione peroxidase; GR, glutathione reductase; CAL, clinical attachment loss; BOP, bleeding on probing; PD, pocket depth; NSPT, non-surgical periodontal therapy; WC, waist circumference; HC, hip circumference; WHR, waist to hip ratio.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.