Assessment of Anti-Protease Property of Nutmeg in Causing Delayed Disintegration of Platelet Rich Fibrin – an in vitro Study

Background: Platelet-rich fibrin is a second generation platelet concentrate enhances tissue healing and is in predominant use as a barrier membrane in periodontal regeneration. However, a normal PRF membrane has rapid degradability (1-2 weeks). Myristica fragrans (nutmeg) has been found to have antiprotease property. It was hypothesized if this property helps in inhibiting degradation of PRF. Aim: To assess whether nutmeg has any effect in inhibitingdegradability of PRF membrane and to compare the degradability of PRF at different concentrations (200mg, 100mg, 50mg) of ethanolic and crude extracts of nutmeg. Materials and Methodology: PRF was procured from 30 ml blood from 5 different donors were cut to equal sizes into 35 pieces. They were measured at baseline and dropped in 7 sets of ependorphs containing PBS, PBS containing 200 mg, 100mg and 50 mg crude extract of nutmeg, PBS containing 200 mg, 100mg and 50 mg ethanolic extract of nutmeg. After 1 week the PRF were retrieved and measured. The percentage of remaining PRF was calculated and data analysed. Result: It was found that there was a difference in percentages of remaining PRF between all the groups when compared to the control group, out of which, crude extract of nutmeg 200 mg group alone had a significantly lesser % of remaining PRF than the control. All ethanolic extract groups had a significantly greater % of remaining PRF when compared to that of the control. Conclusion: Nutmeg is effective in inhibiting the degradation of PRF membrane.