Introduction
ulcerative, OLP [, chronic inflammatory disorder, OLP, plaque-type, malignant disorder, cardiac glycoside
DISORDER, REMISSIONS, ULCERATIVE, DISORDERS, AUTOIMMUNITY, PATHOGENESIS, ORAL CANCER, PLAQUE, ORAL LICHEN PLANUS, OXIDATIVE STRESS, CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY DISORDER, ATROPHIC, DESQUAMATIVE GINGIVITIS
The World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Oral Cancer Workshop held in the United Kingdom (2020) confirmed oral lichen planus (OLP) as a potentially malignant disorder. OLP is defined as a “chronic inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology with characteristic relapses and remissions, displaying white reticular lesions, accompanied or not by atrophic, erosive, and ulcerative and/or plaque-type areas’. Lesions are frequently bilaterally symmetrical. Desquamative gingivitis may be a feature” [To date, the etiology remains ambiguous, and multifactorial facets have been attributed, including genetic background, infectious agents, autoimmunity, psychological stress, and deleterious habits such as cigarette smoking and betelnut chewing. Various systemic disorders have also been hypothesized to contribute to etiology [OLP has six clinical subtypes: reticular, papular, plaque - like, bullous, erythematous, and ulcerative [Considering the autoimmune nature of the disorder, OLP is recalcitrant, and its management is oriented toward symptom alleviationPhytomedicine is rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics, making it an excellent alternative for safer, affordable, and efficient medication [Purslane is an edible herb with medicinal properties. It boasts phytochemical richness, namely, flavonoids, alkaloids, coumarins, anthraquinone glycoside, cardiac glycoside, fatty acids, terpenoids, polysaccharides, vitamins, sterols, proteins, and minerals. Additionally, it has higher β-carotene, ascorbic acid, and alpha-linolenic acid levels. The pharmacological actions are myriad actions ranging from antibacterial, antiulcerogenic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, wound healing and purgative to emollient, muscle relaxant, and diuretic properties [Studies by Bao and Chen et al. report that oxidative stress is one of the causative factors in the pathogenesis of OLP [