Comparison of cytological parameters of exfoliated buccal mucosal cells in different temperament groups

Introduction: Temperament (Mizaj) forms the basic concept of Iranian traditional medicine (ITM), and greatly influences the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, as well as maintains the ideal healthy state of an individual. In particular, temperament is presumed to affect the morphological, physiological, and psychological features of a person; however, its influence on biological features remains unclear in practical ITM. This study aimed to evaluate the association between the temperament and the cytological features of buccal mucosa in healthy people.

Methods: The study sample included 75 healthy individuals from Fars province, southern Iran. The temperament was determined using a self-reported temperament identification scale. Based on the questionnaire, volunteers were classified in nine temperaments including one equilibrium, four simple temperaments (warm, cold, moist, and dry,) and four combined temperaments (warm–moist, warm–dry, cold–moist, cold–dry). Smears collected from the buccal mucosa of participants were analyzed for biomarkers of DNA damage, cytokinetic defects, proliferative potential, and cell death using micronucleus (MN) assay. Student’s t-test or Mann–Whitney U test was applied to identify the differences between groups.

Results: DNA damage (nuclear buds) and cell death biomarkers (condensed chromatin, karyorrhexic, pyknotic, and karyolitic cells) reported significant differences between certain temperament groups.

Conclusions: The present study reported that the aforementioned cytological parameters could be affected by the temperament; however, more studies with greater sample sizes are warranted.