Fig 1.

(A) Effect of P. floribundum (0.1; 1 or 10 mg/kg) on alveolar bone loss in experimental periodontitis. Naive: animals without periodontitis; NT: animals subjected to periodontitis and treated with vehicle (0.9% saline + 0.1% ethanol). P. floribundum: rats submitted to periodontitis and treated with P. floribundum (0.1; 1 or 10 mg/kg), respectively. Data are shown as mean ± SEM (n = 6 for each treatment). *P < 0.000039 versus naive; **P < 0.001 versus NT, (ANOVA; Games-Howell). (B) Effect of P. floribundum (0.1; 1 or 10 mg/kg) on the macroscopic view (first column), histological aspects (second column), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) (third columm) of periodontium. (a–d) normal maxilla (naive), showing the integrity of its components (C—Cementum; D–Dentin, and AB—Alveolar Bone). (e–h) maxilla from rats subjected to periodontitis and receiving only vehicle (0.9% saline + 0.1% ethanol) presenting severe bone resorption, inflammatory infiltrate in the gingiva and periodontal ligament, extensive destruction of cementum, total resorption of the alveolar process (f), and irregularity in the bone tissue (g—h). (i–l) maxilla from rats subjected to periodontitis and treated with P. floribundum (10 mg/kg) showing discrete cellular influx and preservation of cementum and alveolar process (j) and regular tissue topography (k–l). Black arrows indicate alveolar bone resorption. HE magnification (100x); MEV magnification 65x: c, g, and k; MEV magnification 350x: d, h, and i.