## 3 Discussion
Previous studies have demonstrated significant chemical and pharmacological properties [44] of Croton Lechleri extract, such as anti-inflammatory [45], healing [46], antimycotic, antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial [47, 48], and antioxidant [49] activities. In addition, these extracts demonstrated the potential to improve osteogenesis, mineralization, and bone formation [50]. In a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, [PERSON] et al. suggest Croton Lechleri extract is a potent, available, affordable, and safe healing agent [51]. The authors hypothesized that the exact role of Croton Lechleri extract in the pathogenesis of wound healing regarded its effect on stimulation or hindering mediator's synthesis; however, its exact role is still unknown and further studies are required. Two other studies investigated the healing effect of Croton Lechleri extract on rats. One of these studies showed the wound-healing effect of the alkaloid taspine in rats, stimulating the chemotaxis of fibroblasts [52]. Another study showed the wound-healing activity of Croton Lechleri extract, due to the high percentage of polyphenic compounds in this plant [42]. In this case report, in addition to the application of Croton Lechleri extract on the GC, the intake of vitamin C, using tablets of Myriciaria Dubia, has been associated with clinical treatment in order to stimulate systemic collagen formation. Myriciaria Dubia (Camu-Camu) is a particularly versatile berry [53] and the vitamin C inside Myriciaria Dubia pulp remains stable; after 335 days of storage, the content of vitamin C was 1.16 g/100 g [54]. Vitamin C is an important nutrient that exerts a reducing and antioxidant effect, eliminates free radicals, and acts as an enzymatic cofactor in cells. Since vitamin C eliminates excess reactive oxygen species, this nutrient is considered an important oxidant for periodontal health. Vitamin C promotes hydroxylation of eleven enzymatic proteins, three of which participate in the collagen hydroxylation and two in the carnitine biosynthesis [55, 56]. Moreover, vitamin C supplies micronutrients (ascorbic acid and flavonoids) active for proline and lysine hydroxylation; they are essential amino acids for collagen chain maturation and stability. Vitamin C also plays a crucial role in preventing and slowing the progression of periodontal disease by inducing the differentiation of periodontal ligament progenitor cells [57]. In addition to vitamin C, Myriciaria Dubia includes many polyphenols (flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannins, stilbenes, and lignans) that possess an important role in the recruitment of inflammatory cells to the site of inflammation, accelerating the entire healing process [58]. In the reported case, the patient had taken a supplementation of vitamin C for 12 months, in agreement with [PERSON]'s study [59], which reinforced the need to maintain supplementation of vitamin C from 6 to 20 months for the treatment of a gingival Stillman's cleft. The described approach is characterized by the use of natural products rather than conventional drugs [60, 61]. Several in vivo and clinical trial studies proved that extracts of medicinal plants and their purified active components possess high potential to be used as wound-healing remedies, owing to their acceptable level of safety, multiple mechanisms of action, and antibacterial activity. Recently, novel wound-dressing formulations have been claimed to have many advantages over conventional dressings and can be used to address some drawbacks of natural products, including solubility and limited activity on the wound site [62]. As previously described by [PERSON] and other authors, although this article is limited on the evaluation of one clinical case, it intends to share an encouraging clinical experience that may be taken into account to develop further research [63]. Further clinical research should be performed to validate the here-presented non-surgical treatment combined with herbal extracts supplement to solve or at least reduce GC.