The Effect of Cocoa Pod Husk (Theobroma cacao L.) Extract on Increasing Gingival Fibroblast and Collagen Density in Wistar Rats Induced by Porphyromonas gingivalis

Periodontal disease is an inflammatory disease of the oral cavity which characterized by inflammation of the gingiva. Theobroma cacao L. is a herbal plant that has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, which is starting to be widely researched as an alternative therapy for inflammation in the oral cavity. The aim of this study was to examined the effect of the ethanol extract gel of cocoa pod husk (Theobroma cacao L.) on increasing the number of fibroblasts and the collagen fiber density in the gingiva of rats that have been induced by Phorphyromonas gingivalis. The sample used 24 male Wistar rats divided into 3 groups. Each group was induced by porphyromonas gingivalis every 3 days for 14 days then anointed with placebo gel (negative control group), metronidazole gel (positive control group), and cocoa pod ethanol extract gel (CPH gel) for 7 and 14 days. Gingival tissue was taken after euthanasia, after which histological preparations were made, and fibroblasts were observed under a microscope and analyzed using quantitative pathology 0.3.2 software, while for collagen density analized using Adobe Photoshop CS6 software. The results showed there was a significant difference of the number of fibroblasts between each group (p<0.05). however there was no significant difference between positive control and cocoa pod husk extract at day 14 (p > 0.05).The treatment group on day 7 and 14 was higher than the other groups. It was conclude that the ethanol extract of cacao pod husk (Theobroma cacao L.) potential to increase the number of fibroblasts and collagen fibers density in gingival tissue of periodontitis rats.