Healing Oral Mucositis With Arrabidaea chica Verlot Mucoadhesive Gel in Patients Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell...

Oral mucositis affects up to 80% of patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation, causing painful ulcers, increased infection risk, and impaired quality of life. Current treatments are mainly palliative, highlighting the need for new therapeutic options. Arrabidaea chica Verlot extract has shown wound healing potential through antioxidant activity and collagen synthesis promotion in vitro and significant wound area reduction in vivo.

The objective of the study is to evaluate the wound healing potential of a mucoadhesive gel containing 2.5% A. chica extract for treating oral mucositis in oncohematological patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation.

This was a randomized, controlled, open-label, parallel-group clinical trial conducted at HC/UNICAMP from October 2022 to November 2024. Forty-four patients were randomized to the intervention group (mucoadhesive A. chica gel, n = 22) or control group (low-intensity laser therapy, n = 22). The primary outcome was the time to healing of oral mucositis. Statistical analysis compared mean healing times between groups.

Twenty participants in the intervention group and 18 in the control group completed the study. Mean healing time was 5.2 ± 1.5 days for the intervention group and 11.2 ± 6.5 days for the control group, representing a 2.2-fold faster healing with A. chica gel. Some intervention participants reported a mild burning sensation, without affecting treatment adherence or efficacy.

The mucoadhesive gel containing A. chica extract proved to be a safe and effective therapeutic option for treating oral mucositis in patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation.

ReBEC number: RBR-5×4397.