Anti-inflammatory examination of Tamarillo (Solanum betaceum Cav.) fruit peel ethanol extract on VEGF expression (study on carrageenan-induced rat buccal mucosa)

Background: Inflammation is a process of the body's defense function against various stimuli. The ethanol extract of Tamarillo has flavonoid compounds as anti-inflammatory agent.
Aims: to determine the anti-inflammatory effect of Tamarillo (Solanum betaceum Cav.) fruit peel ethanol extract on the buccal mucosa of rats induced by carrageenan through VEGF expression.
Study Design: Laboratory experimental in vivo study
Place and Duration of Study: This research was done at the OPaD CORE Laboratory, Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Trisakti at September-December 2022.
Methodology: The research sample was divided into 5 groups which were successively given diclofenac sodium suspension as a positive control, NaCl suspension as a negative control, and the Tamarillo fruit peel ethanol extract suspension with doses of 70, 140, and 280mg/kg.BW as treatment groups. Immunohistochemistry staining was performed and evaluated using microscopic observation by the ImageJ application to see the VEGF expression on the buccal mucosa of the rats. One Way ANOVA test was used to determine differences anti-inflammatory effects among groups.
Results: There was a significant difference of VEGF expression among groups at 72 hours. The highest expression was found at dose of 280 mg/kg.BW on 72 hours of carrageenan induction. Based on the Spearman's Rho test, the power level of VEGF expression on the 72-hour study group correlated very strongly or very high.
Conclusion: The ethanol extract of Tamarillo (Solanum betaceum Cav.) fruit peel ethanol extract has the potential as an anti-inflammatory, especially on 72 hours at a dose of 280 mg/kg.BW. This anti-inflammatory potency is equivalent to diclofenac sodium as a positive control.