Comparative Efficacy of Zingiber officinale var. rubrum and Curcuma longa Supplementation in Protecting the Nasal Mucosa of Tobacco Smoke–Exposed Wistar Rats

Abstract

Tobacco smoke causes oxidative and inflammatory injury to the nasal mucosa. Red ginger (Zingiber officinale var. rubrum) and Curcuma longa have potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This study compared their effects, alone and in combination, on nasal mucosal histopathology in tobacco smoke–exposed Wistar rats. In this randomized controlled experimental study, 36 Wistar rats were allocated to smoke-exposed control, red ginger, C. longa, or combination groups (n=9 per group). All animals received daily tobacco-smoke exposure for 28 days; treatment groups received the assigned botanical preparation orally. Nasal specimens were examined histopathologically, and MWHS was assessed. Group differences were analyzed using Kruskal–Wallis and chi-square tests. Mean total MWHS was highest in the red-ginger group (20.22 ± 2.68), followed by the C. longa group (20.00 ± 3.18), combination group (18.00 ± 2.78), and control group (17.89 ± 3.33). The overall difference was not statistically significant (p=0.206). Individual histopathological domains were also not significantly different among groups. Descriptively, red ginger was associated with more complete immature epithelialization and non-irregular collagenization, whereas C. longa showed the highest proportion of complete mature epithelialization. Red ginger and C. longa showed descriptive patterns of improved nasal mucosal repair after tobacco-smoke exposure; however, neither monotherapy nor the combination produced a statistically significant protective effect under the study protocol.