title: Ability of fourteen chemical agents used in dental practice to induce chromosome aberrations in Syrian hamster embryo cells.
abstract: To assess the genotoxicity of 14 chemical agents used in dental practice, the ability of these agents to induce chromosome aberrations was examined using Syrian hamster embryo (SHE) cells. Statistically significant increases in the frequencies of chromosome aberrations were induced in SHE cells treated with 7 of 10 chemical agents used as endodontic medicaments, that is, carbol camphor, m-cresol, eugenol, guaiacol, zinc oxide, hydrogen peroxide, and formaldehyde. The other 3 chemical agents, that is, thymol, glutaraldehyde, and iodoform, did not increase the levels of chromosome aberrations. Of the 4 chemical agents that are used as an antiseptic on the oral mucosa, chromosome aberrations were induced by iodine, but not by the other 3 antiseptics, benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, and chlorhexidine. Among the 6 chemical agents exhibiting a negative response in the assay, only thymol induced chromosome aberrations in the presence of exogenous metabolic activation. Our results indicate that chemical agents having a positive response in the present study are potentially genotoxic to mammalian cells and need to be studied further in detail.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, The Nippon Dental University, School of Dentistry at Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirohito
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hikiba
authors.forename: Eiko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: J Carl
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.forename: Takeki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsutsui
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001711:Biotransformation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006224:Cricetinae; D019551:Dental Disinfectants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000633:toxicity*; D003813:Dentistry / Q000379:methods*; D006139:Guaiacol / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D008647:Mesocricetus / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics*; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests / Q000379:methods; D009153:Mutagens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D051381:Rats; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000633:toxicity*; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D019551:Dental Disinfectants; D009153:Mutagens; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants; D006139:Guaiacol; D015034:Zinc Oxide