Efficacy of liquorice-infused chitosan local drug delivery system in chronic periodontitis – a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Evaluating the efficacy of a liquorice-infused local drug delivery (LDD) chip as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) in the management of chronic periodontitis. The study is designed as a randomized controlled clinical trial using a split-mouth design, where 20 patients with chronic periodontitis provide both test and control sites. The test group receives SRP along with the liquorice-coated chitosan chip, while the control group receives SRP along with chitosan chip. The liquorice extract is prepared using the Soxhlet extraction method and infused into a chitosan membrane to form the chip. In vitro analyses include FTIR and gas chromatography for composition, cytotoxicity testing using human fibroblast cell lines, and drug release studies using the dialysis membrane method. Clinically, the study evaluates parameters such as the gingival index (GI), plaque index (PI), probing pocket depth (PPD), and clinical attachment level (CAL) before and after treatment. This research aims to develop a natural, biocompatible, and effective adjunctive therapy to improve periodontal treatment outcomes.