Assessment of carvacrol paste as endodontic medication associated with laser photobiomodulation in tissue repair: an experimental study in rats

This study aimed to analyze the tissue reaction caused by carvacrol paste associated or not with laser photobiomodulation (LPBM) at λ660 nm in the subcutaneous tissue of rats. Sixty Wistar rats were divided into four groups and they received the following interventions: subcutaneous implantation of empty polyethylene tubes (CTR), implantation of tubes containing carvacrol paste (CVC), implantation of empty tubes and LPBM (LLLT), and implantation of tubes containing carvacrol paste and LPBM (CVCLT). The animals were euthanized at three, eight, and 15 days after surgery. The inflammatory reaction and fibroplasia were analyzed histomorphometrically. Significant differences among the groups were determined by ANOVA and Tukey's test (p<0.05). In the 3-day period, the CVCLT group had low inflammatory infiltration (p<0.01). In the 8- and 15-day periods, the LLLT and CVCLT groups presented a low amount of lymphocytic inflammatory infiltrate (p<0.01 and p<0.05). Regarding the formation of fibrous tissue, the CVC group had the highest formation of type III collagen in the 8-day period (p<0.001). In the 15-day period, the CVCLT group had a lower formation of type I collagen than the CTR and LLLT groups (p<0.05). The use of the carvacrol paste associated with photobiomodulation optimizes the inflammatory period and tissue repair.