Background: It has been recently shown that monounsaturated fatty acids inhibit endothelial activation and reduce tissue responsiveness to cytokines. The present study has been planned to investigate topical application of a novel monounsaturated fatty acid complex (1-tetradecanol complex) for prevention of Porphyromonas gingivalis–induced periodontitis in rabbits.

Methods: Experimental periodontitis was induced in New Zealand white rabbits with silk sutures tied around the mandibular second premolars bilaterally, followed by the topical application of 10⁹ colony forming units (CFU) of P. gingivalis. 1-Tetradecanol complex (1-TDC) was topically applied at 1- and 10-mg/ml concentrations in five animals in each group, whereas control animals received olive oil vehicle (five animals) three times per week for 6 weeks. Negative controls included ligature alone (14 animals) or ligature + P. gingivalis (non-treatment; 15 animals). Rabbits were sacrificed after 6 weeks, and mandibular block sections were obtained; tissues were decalcified and embedded in paraffin. Thin sections (5 μm) were stained with hematoxylin and eosin or tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase. Macroscopic and histologic evaluation of samples was followed by the characterization of cellular inflammatory infiltrate and quantitative histomorphometric measurements.

Results: Treatment with both concentrations of 1-TDC and vehicle resulted in significant prevention of macroscopic periodontal inflammation and bone loss (75%; P <0.05) compared to the non-treatment (ligature + P. gingivalis) group, where significant periodontal tissue destruction characterized by attachment and bone loss was detected. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the vehicle and both 1-TDC groups. Histologically, 1-TDC inhibited inflammatory cell infiltration and prevented osteoclastogenesis, whereas treatment with vehicle did not show the same effect as in the 1-TDC groups; the difference between vehicle and the higher concentration of 1-TDC (10 mg/ml) was statistically significant.

Conclusion: Topical application of an esterified monounsaturated fatty acid complex (1-TDC) was found promising in preventing bone loss, inflammatory cell infiltration, and connective tissue destruction in the rabbit periodontitis model.