Comparative Study of Triamcinolone and Sumac for Treating Minor Aphthous Lesions - A Triple-Blind Study

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is a common oral mucosal lesion. Herbal medicine has been explored to treat this condition. This study compared the effectiveness of two oral pastes containing Triamcinolone and Sumac, for the healing, size, and symptomatology of RAS. This triple-blind randomized clinical trial included 60 patients with minor aphthous ulcers. Participants were informed about the study and provided consent. Exclusion criteria consisted of specific medical conditions and medication use. The patients were divided into three groups and received either Sumac adhesive gel, Triadent oral paste, or a placebo. Ulcer size was measured before and after treatment. The medication was prepared using carboxymethylcellulose-based gel and Sumac powder extract. The study was triple-blinded, and the groups were labelled as A, B, and C. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 22, employing repeated measurement, student t test, Kolmogorov-Smirnoff, and one-way ANOVA for quantitative data. Statistical significance was set at P ≤ .05. A clinical trial involving 59 participants compared the Sumac, Triadent, and placebo groups. The Sumac group exhibited the shortest healing time, significantly reduced lesion size, and lower Visual Analog Scale scores. Triadent took the longest time to heal ulcers. ANOVA test indicated no significant difference in age and gender distribution. This clinical trial evaluated two oral pastes for treating aphthous ulcers and found that the Sumac group achieved faster healing and reduced lesion size compared to the Triadent and control groups. Sumac shows promise as a treatment option, but further studies are necessary to confirm its efficacy and safety. These favourable results support the use of herbal treatments and suggest their potential for broader utilization in managing diseases such as RAS.