Abstract: Objective To observe the changes of intestinal tissue in rats with diabetes associated periodontitis and explore the effect of artesunate (ART) intervention on TNF-α, MMP-9 and Caspase 3 in the intestinal tissue of rats with diabetes associated periodontitis. Methods 32 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into healthy control group, diabetes group, diabetes associated periodontitis group and ART intervention group. Diabetes and periodontitis models were made and model identification was performed. At the end of the 10th week, each group was treated with intervention. Animals in the ART intervention group were treated with 60 mg/kg ART, and the rest of groups were treated with normal saline. At the end of the 14th week, animals were sacrificed and intestinal tissue samples were harvested. H&E and immunohistochemical staining were processed to detect the expression of TNF-α, MMP-9 and Caspase 3 in intestinal tissue. Results H&E staining showed that compared with the healthy control group, the intestinal epithelial muscle layer of the diabetes group and the diabetes associated periodontitis group was damaged, the mucosa was damaged, the intestinal glands were deformed with lymphocyte infiltration. In the ART intervention group, the intestinal mucosa structure was basically complete, the intestinal glands were arranged neatly, and the lymphocyte infiltration was reduced. The expressions of TNF-α, MMP-9 and Caspase 3 in the diabetes group and the diabetes associated periodontitis group were significantly higher than those in the healthy control group (P<0.05); The expressions of TNF-α, MMP-9 and Caspase 3 in the ART intervention group were significantly reduced (P<0.05). Conclusion Diabetes associated periodontitis could damage the intestinal epithelial tissue. ART could restore intestinal tissue damage by inhibiting the levels of TNF-α, MMP-9 and Caspase 3.

Key words: Artesunate, diabetes associated periodontitis, intestinal tissue, TNF-α, MMP-9, Caspase 3