Mohamed Abdoul-Latif Fatouma, Ainane Ayoub, Merito Ali, Houmed Aboubaker Ibrahim, Mohamed Houda, Cherroud Sanaa, Ainane Tarik
Center for Research and Study of Djibouti, Medicinal Research Institute, Djibouti BP 486, Djibouti.
Superior School of Technology, University of Sultan Moulay Slimane, BP 170, Khenifra 54000, Morocco.
Bioengineering (Basel). 2024 Jul 15;11(7):716. doi: 10.3390/bioengineering11070716.
This study examined the effects of khat chewing on oral gingival conditions by adopting a targeted process which combined physicochemical analyses of the teeth, histopathological examinations of the gums, and bioinformatics modeling. The physicochemical evaluation of teeth in khat consumers compared to non-consumers was carried out using specific analytical techniques; hence, the results of this initial investigation revealed significant erosion of the tooth enamel due to khat chewing, as well as an alteration of the essential chemical composition of the teeth. Additionally, the histopathological analyses complemented preliminary studies by showing severe inflammation of the gums and oral mucosa in khat users. The understanding of these studies was enriched by bioinformatics analysis, where modeling was carried out via computational methods. This analytical phase examined molecular docking mechanisms, including the interaction between cathinone, the main alkaloid of khat, and the protein receptors involved in the protection of gingival tissues against infections. In summary, this multidisciplinary research provided an in-depth view of the oral health issues related to khat chewing, combining experimental studies with bioinformatics perspectives.
本研究采用了一种有针对性的方法,结合牙齿的物理化学分析、牙龈的组织病理学检查和生物信息学建模,来研究咀嚼巧茶对口腔牙龈状况的影响。与非巧茶消费者相比,使用特定分析技术对巧茶消费者的牙齿进行了物理化学评估;因此,这项初步调查的结果显示,咀嚼巧茶会导致牙釉质严重侵蚀,以及牙齿基本化学成分的改变。此外,组织病理学分析通过显示巧茶使用者牙龈和口腔黏膜的严重炎症,对初步研究进行了补充。生物信息学分析丰富了对这些研究的理解,其中通过计算方法进行建模。这个分析阶段研究了分子对接机制,包括巧茶的主要生物碱去甲伪麻黄碱与参与保护牙龈组织免受感染的蛋白质受体之间的相互作用。总之,这项多学科研究结合实验研究和生物信息学观点,深入探讨了与咀嚼巧茶相关的口腔健康问题。