Twenty male
Rattus norvegicus(Wistar) rats were randomly divided into four groups. Their left buccal mucosae were injured by means of a punch biopsy with a 6 mm diameter and 1 mm depth after being placed under general anesthesia ether.
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The wound was ensured to be confined to the epithelium, without damaging the underlying muscle. Each of the four groups was then treated with MASE gel of varying concentrations three times a day (every 6–8 h); 0% (as control), MASE 25%, MASE 37.5%, and MASE 50%.
After 3 days of application, the
Rattus norvegicuswere sacrificed with lethal dose of ether by inhalation and their buccal mucosae biopsied for immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis. Immunohistochemical staining was conducted using anti-mouse TNF-α monoclonal antibodies (Santa Cruz Biotechnology Inc., TNF-α [M-18]: sc 1348) and NF-κB monoclonal antibodies (Santa Cruz Biotechnology Inc.; NF-κB p65 [F-6]: sc 8008). The number of macrophage cells showing the expressions of TNF-α and NF-κB was calculated in three different field locations using a light microscope (Olympus, United States) at 400× magnification, and subsequently averaged.