## 4 Discussion  
This study evaluated the action of RSV in alveolar bone repair in non-critical defects in Wistar rats both quantitatively (through histomorphometry) and qualitatively (through slide analysis). Rats were used in this study due to their ease of availability and surgical handling. Studies have shown that statins have positive effects when used systemically [7; 10], with a decrease in the rate of bone reabsorption being observed in patients with osteogenic or osteoporosis, as well as when used topically in patients with bone loss due to periodontal disease, where a decrease in inflammatory levels in the region was also observed, denoting another favorable attribute. Current studies have used a model where statins are added to methylcellulose as a carrier [22; 24] and added directly to the defect or to resorbable sponges [26; 27; 28; 29], fibrin-rich platelet concentrate (PRF), and bone grafts. However, there is no established standard regarding the concentration deposited in the study defect [19; 20]. When deposited alone in the defect, the authors do not specify the volume of gel applied, and when added to the collagen sponge, they do not define the total volume deposited on the sponge to obtain the greatest saturation of the sponge with the gel. With the aim of eliminating these biases, this study accounted for two factors. First, a collagen sponge with acceptable dimensions to be introduced into the sample socket without requiring large deformations was obtained. The second factor involved the maximum volume required to saturate the collagen sponge. In a pilot study, it was observed that due to its density, the gel formulation did not allow the deposition of a large volume on the sponge. The alternative in this study was the formulation of RSV as a saturated solution in sorbitol as a lower-density carrier. In 2010, [PERSON] et al. [29] described the use of RSV associated with a resorbable collagen sponge as a carrier for the regeneration of critical cortical defects in rabbits. In this work, three different concentrations of RSV were used in a saline medium: 0.1 mg/mL, 0.5 mg/mL, and 2.5 mg/mL. BMP-2 expression was evaluated and shown to increase in a dose-dependent pattern compared to the control group. The evaluation of trabecular bone by microtomography revealed no statistical differences in bone architecture between the groups. This study did not perform a histomorphometric analysis of the samples. The present study did not reveal a significant benefit of using RSV-loaded collagen sponges for bone regeneration compared to collagen sponges alone. A previous clinical study by [PERSON] et al. (2018) [30] demonstrated improved periodontal parameters with the use of RSV gels compared to placebo over 6-12 months. However, our preclinical research did not show enhanced bone formation histomorphometrically with RSV. Several factors may account for this discrepancy. In the authors' opinion, the small non-critical-sized defects in rat alveoli may not allow sufficient RSV volumes for a biological effect. Additionally, the carrier vehicle itself may have contributed to inflammation, potentially impeding bone growth. Nevertheless, the pleiotropic actions of statins are biologically plausible for periodontal and bone regeneration. Further refinement of appropriate concentrations inlarger animal models appears warranted to harness the tantalizing potential of these agents. Factors requiring optimization include the carrier vehicle to mitigate inflammation, while enabling targeted, sustained RSV release specifically to the bony microenvironment. Thus, while RSV remains promising for regenerative applications, the optimal approach for its utilization has yet to be determined. At the molecular level, as previously described, RSV has some osteogenic properties by modulating the mevalonate pathway. Specifically, it inhibits HMG-CoA reductase, which suppresses downstream products like Rho, Rac, and Ras signaling proteins that normally inhibit BMP-2 activity [7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13; 14; 15].