[en] Oral mucositis (OM) is one of the most common side effects of current antineoplastic therapies. Its physiopathology is complex, involving dynamic interactions of all cell types that comprise the epithelium and the underlying connective tissue. Currently, there are effective strategies for prevention and treatment of mucositis, although there is no standard protocol for managing the condition. Several therapies are still in development, and natural products with fewer side effects and more affordable are potential therapeutic strategies. Therefore, to better understand the pathobiology of OM and possible therapeutic targets, the present work was divided in 2 studies, presented, each, in the form of manuscripts. The first one aimed to establish an in vitro OM model from primary culture of gingival fibroblasts treated with ionizing radiation, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Escherichia coli and total extract of the bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg). It was shown that 12 Gray (Gy) of radiation induced greater expression of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α e NF-kB after 6h, when compared to non-irradiated cells, and treatment with 5μg/ml of Porphyromonas gingivalis protein extract also generated higher expression of all proinflammatory cytokines after 6h. Association of both stimuli resulted in increased expression of citokynes when compared to cells only irradiated. The second study was a systematic review about the effects of turmeric and its main polyphenol, curcumin, a natural mTOR inhibitor, on OM management. It was evidenced that both turmeric and curcumin applied in the form of gel or mouthwash are capable of reducing mucositis grade, pain, erythema intensity and ulcerated area size, being, therefore, good natural alternatives to treat OM. In conclusion, this work contributes to the development of an in vitro experimental model of oral mucositis with potential to study the mechanism of action of new therapeutic strategies, such as natural inhibitors of mTOR. (author)