The Response of Oral Submucous Fibrosis to Lycopene - A Carotenoid Antioxidant: A Clinicopathological Study

Introduction: The oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) is a precancerous condition of the oral cavity. Untreated and neglected cases of OSMF might end up as invasive squamous cell carcinoma. Some pernicious habits like smoking, pan chewing and tobacco addiction for which human being has succumbed to are causing various dreaded diseases, the important among them being oral submucous fibrosis, leukoplakia and erythroplakia. Free radicals have more recently emerged as mediators of other phenotypic and genotypic changes that lead from mutation to neoplasia. The role of free radicals in the various oxidation processes in the body has lead to the identification of antioxidants in inhibiting and reversing the disease process. Lycopene is a safe antioxidant of utmost importance. Lycopene is a bright red carotene and carotenoid pigment and phytochemical found in tomatoes and other red fruits and vegetables, such as red carrots, watermelons and papayas. Objectives: The main aim and objective of this study is to evaluate the clinical and histopathological response of oral submucous fibrosis to Lycopene-a carotenoid antioxidant. Methods and Materials: The material for this study constitutes 12 adult patients picked from the regular outpatient attending the Department of Dentistry, Hassan institute of Medical Sciences, Hassan, Karnataka, India. Clinically, they are diagnosed as having oral submucous fibrosis. Conclusions: Responses are assessed clinically and histopathologically. We observed clinical and histological improvement in various parameters used in our study. No significant toxicity attri-butable to Lycopene is encountered in this study.