Salivary oxidative status in patients with oral lichen planus

Background. Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the mucosa of unknown aetiology. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the status of oxidative stress in saliva and the anti-oxidant defense system in patients with oral lichen planus (OLP). Methods. In total, 62 patients with OLP including 32 with the reticular lichen planus (mean ± SD 44.63 ± 11.05 years) and 30 with erosive form (mean ± SD age 40.43 ± 10.05), who had never received treatment for their disease, were enrolled; 30 healthy people (aged 42.12 ± 12.22) were recruited as the control group. Saliva levels of glutathione (GSH), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), were determined. Results. The mean saliva level of GSH, TAC and SOD was significantly lower (P < 0.001) in patients compared with controls. Mean levels of salivary malondialdehyde were higher in the both OLP group (reticular and erosive) than the control group (P = 0.001). Conclusions. Lower saliva levels of GSH, TAC and SOD in patients with OLP indicates that free radicals and the resulting oxidative damage may be important in the pathogenesis of OLP lesions.