Scientists from CSIR-CIMAP and CSIR-CDRI have developed a plant-based treatment for oral submucous fibrosis or OSMF, or in very lay terms, the disintegration of the mucosal lining in the mouth.
The research has been jointly conducted by a team of researchers from CSIR-CIMAP, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CSIR-CDRI) and Lucknow University.
However, further studies and clinical trials are needed before it can be used in patients, but the preclinical results offer new hope, researchers said.
OSMF is primarily caused by chewing guthka, betel quid and areca (betel) nut, which affects more than five million people worldwide. The condition is symptomised by the stiffening of the inner lining of the mouth, severe burning sensation, and restricted mouth opening making it difficult to eat and speak. In many cases, it can turn into oral cancer.
The standard treatment for the condition has been steroid injections in the mouth. While steroids give temporary relief, long-term use causes bone loss, high blood pressure and weak immunity.
Research was also slow because there was no reliable animal model to test new drugs, leading to inconsistent results in labs, said Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP) scientist NP Yadav.
{{/usCountry}}Research was also slow because there was no reliable animal model to test new drugs, leading to inconsistent results in labs, said Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP) scientist NP Yadav.
{{/usCountry}}First, a mouse model was standardised that mimics human OSMF.
Once a reliable model was ready, the team looked for a safer natural treatment. They chose cardamom essential oil, known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Yadav said that the challenge was that oil cannot easily penetrate the hard, scarred tissue of OSMF. Therefore, the researchers converted it into a nanoemulsion - a formulation where oil droplets are broken into ultra-small size using high-speed homogenisation.
“When tested on human cells in the lab and on OSMF mice, the cardamom nanoemulsion showed remarkable healing. It significantly suppressed inflammatory cytokines that drive pain and swelling, stopped abnormal collagen accumulation, and restored normal tissue architecture in both cheek and tongue. Unlike steroids, the formulation is plant-based, non-toxic and targeted,” he added.
Researchers say that the discovery is important because it opens the door to a safe, affordable, non-steroidal therapy for a disease that is highly prevalent in India and South Asia due to widespread betel nut and tobacco-chewing habits.