Abstract
BACKGROUND: Osteogenic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of Whey protein and M. oleifera gel prompted us to evaluate their role alone or in combination on osseointegration in rabbits. METHODS: In this study, 24 titanium implants were inserted in the femurs of six rabbits. One implant was placed without treatment, and another one was coated with a mixture of whey protein and M. oleifera gel for each side. The animals were divided into two groups of 2- and 6-week intervals and evaluated using histopathological and immunohistochemical techniques. RESULTS: Histological evaluation revealed a significant difference between the experimental and the control groups after two weeks in osteoblast and osteocyte counts. The experimental group had mature bone development after six weeks of implantation, while the control group had a woven bone. Immunohistochemical results showed that the experimental group, compared to the control group, exhibited early positive expression of osteoblast cells at two weeks after the experiment. Based on histopathological observations, the experimental group showed a tiny area of collagenous fiber in 6th week after the implantation. CONCLUSION: A mixture of whey protein and M. oleifera could accelerate osseointegration and healing processes.