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Plant and Fungal Polysaccharides in Periodontitis Treatment: Diverse Mechanisms and Therapeutic Roles

Summary

Periodontitis is a serious gum disease that causes tooth loss and affects overall health. This review examines how polysaccharides (complex carbohydrates) from plants and fungi can help treat periodontitis by reducing inflammation, fighting bacteria, and helping gum tissue repair. These natural compounds work through multiple biological pathways to improve oral health outcomes while avoiding the side effects and resistance problems associated with conventional drugs.

Background

Periodontitis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disease leading to progressive degradation of periodontal tissues and tooth loss. Conventional therapies including anti-inflammatory agents and antibiotics are limited by systemic adverse effects and microbial resistance. Plant and fungal-derived polysaccharides have emerged as promising therapeutic candidates with multifaceted biological activities.

Objective

This systematic review evaluates the therapeutic potential of plant and fungal-derived polysaccharides in periodontitis treatment. It focuses on their multifaceted biological activities including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and osteo-regenerative effects, and elucidates key molecular mechanisms such as NF-κB, MAPK, Wnt/β-catenin, and BMP-2/Smad signaling pathways.

Results

Plant and fungal polysaccharides demonstrate multiple mechanisms of action in periodontitis treatment including suppression of proinflammatory cytokines via NF-κB and NLRP3 pathways, enhancement of antioxidant defenses, inhibition of bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation, modulation of autophagy, and promotion of osteogenic differentiation through Wnt/β-catenin and BMP-2/Smad pathways. Structural features such as monosaccharide composition, molecular weight, glycosidic linkages, and functional groups determine their biological efficacy.

Conclusion

Plant and fungal-derived polysaccharides have substantial potential as adjunct or alternative therapies for periodontitis treatment through their anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and osteo-regenerative effects. Clinical translation remains limited by structural heterogeneity, lack of standardized preparation protocols, and insufficient in vivo validation, necessitating future research on structure-activity relationships and well-designed clinical trials.
  • Published in:International Journal of Dentistry,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: PMID: 41476843, DOI: 10.1155/ijod/7284794
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