Mecobalamin plus vitamin E a good combo against recurrent mouth ulcer

Combination treatment with mecobalamin tablets plus vitamin E soft capsules works in patients with recurrent oral ulcer, alleviating pain and improving the quality of life, according to a study.

In the study, 58 patients with recurrent oral ulcer were randomized to receive mecobalamin tablets with vitamin E soft capsules (test group; n=29) or iron complex enzyme gargle only (control group; n=29).

Researchers evaluated and compared the treatment effects by measuring changes in pain level (on a 10-point visual analogue scale [VAS]), ulcer status and number of ulcers, proinflammatory cytokine levels, as well as quality of life (using the 36-Item Short Form Survey [SF-36]) prior to and after treatment. They also assessed mean intermission time and mean ulcer healing time and adverse reactions.

Results revealed that compared with the control group, the test group had better outcomes. Specifically, the total intermission time interval was significantly longer, the mean ulcer healing time was much shorter, the total number of ulcers was considerably less, and the total effectiveness rate was markedly greater (p<0.05 for all).

Meanwhile, there was no between-group difference in the VAS scores, which significantly improved following treatment in both groups (from 7.87 to 2.16 with mecobalamin + vitamin E; from 7.94 to 3.72 with the control treatment; p<0.05 for both).

Furthermore, the levels of inflammation markers dropped in both groups. However, the changes in interleukin (IL)-2 concentration and SF-36 scores were much more favourable in the test group. The same was true for the levels of IL-8, tumour necrosis factor-α, and C-reactive protein (p<0.05 for all).