Menaka Soory

Bioactive agents and tissue repair, therapeutic markers in periodontal and allied diseases. This area of investigation is relevant to the management of chronic inflammatory periodontal disease complicated by uncontrolled systemic diseases such as Diabetes mellitus and arthritis. a. Investigation of markers of wound healing in an osteblastic cell culture model simulating an environment of oxidative stress, in order to identify therapeutic strategies. An oxidative environment is induced by using a range of oxidative agents such as glucose oxidised low density lipoprotein, advanced glycaemic end products, C-reactive protein, tumour necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 6 and bacterial lipopolysaccharide. The effects of antioxidants such as glutathione, pycnogenol, co-enzyme Q10, phytoestrogens and minocycline in overcoming oxidative stress are evaluated in this cell culture model. Extrapolation of these findings to the 'in vivo' environment has implications on therapeutic strategies for the periodontal patient. b. Application of osteoconductive and osteogenic bioactive agents in bone defects of periodontal patients and adjunctive anti-oxidant therapy to enhance healing responses. c. Nutritional antioxidants and their applications in periodontitis and associated systemic comorbidities.