Abstract

Background: Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) is a chronic condition which has characteristics of inflammation and fibrosis in the oral cavity which is progressive in nature. Steroids are the standard treatment of OSMF, but considering their side effect profile, we thought of taking herbal preparations as these have minimal side effects. Aims and Objectives: This study aims to compare the efficacy of curcumin and tulsi gels in OSMF.
Materials and Methods: This is a prospective, randomized study conducted in ENT OPD on 60 patients who were diagnosed on the basis of clinical criteria of OSMF. Patients were divided into two groups, one group was given tulsi gel and other group curcumin gel and each group was given topical steroids along with the test drugs. Follow-up was done for 6 weeks and patients were assessed on the basis of improvement in interincisal distance, burning sensation, and tongue protrusion at 2, 4, and 6 weeks.
Results: There was an improvement in all the three parameters at subsequent visits, but the curcumin gel showed better improvement than tulsi gel in burning sensation after 6 weeks of treatment which was highly statistically significant P < 0.01. Conclusion: Curcumin gel and tulsi gel are effective in improving OSMF symptoms, but curcumin gel is more efficacious without any side effects. Hence, we can advocate these drugs as adjuvant treatment in addition to the recommended treatment.