Research Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics

Oral sub mucous fibrosis is a premalignant condition mainly associated with the practice of chewing betel quid containing arecanut, a habit common among south Asian people. Commercially freeze dried products such as pan masala, gutka and mava have high concentration of areca nut per chew and appear to cause OSMF more rapidly than by self prepared conventional betel quid. It is characterized by inflammation, increased deposition of sub mucosal collagen mediated as a result of arecoline and formation of fibrotic bands in the oral and Para oral tissues, which increasingly limit the mouth opening. Currently the role of genetic susceptibility and that of autoimmunity are receiving attention. The aim of this paper was to discuss the etiopathogenesis of oral sub mucous fibrosis.