A comparative in vitro evaluation of cytotoxic effects of EDTA and maleic acid: root canal irrigants.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to compare aqueous solutions of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) with that of maleic acid (MA) for their cytotoxic effect on Chinese hamster fibroblasts (V79) cells growing in vitro.


METHODS
Exponentially growing V79 cells were treated with various concentrations of EDTA (0.05% to 1.0%) or MA (0.05% to 1.0%) alone for 30 minutes. After treatment, the media was removed, cells were trypsinized, and the cytotoxic effect of EDTA or MA was analyzed by Pratt Willis test and MTT assay. Similarly surviving fraction (clonogenic assay) was performed by treating the V79 cells with different concentrations of EDTA (0.0025% to 0.25%) or MA (0.025% to 0.25%) for 30 minutes. The statistical significance between the various groups was evaluated using the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Student t test (unpaired) for 2 group comparisons.


RESULTS
There was a significant (P < .01) decrease in the cell viability in a dose-dependent manner indicating the cytotoxic effect of both EDTA and MA when compared with the control group. However, all the dilutions of EDTA were significantly (P < .01) more cytotoxic over that of MA in all 3 assays.


CONCLUSIONS
This study for the first time, clearly demonstrated the significantly less toxic effect of MA at a comparable dose of EDTA, suggesting its potential for use as root canal irrigant.
Ballal
N Vasudev
NV
Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Manipal, Karnataka, India.
Kundabala
M
M
Bhat
Seetharama
S
Rao
Nageshwar
N
Rao
B S Satish
BS
D000449:Aldehyde Reductase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D004396:Coloring Agents; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000633:toxicity*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects*; D008298:Maleates / Q000633:toxicity*; D008422:Materials Testing; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants / Q000633:toxicity*; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D013997:Time Factors
D002614:Chelating Agents; D004396:Coloring Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D008298:Maleates; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; C030272:maleic acid; D004492:Edetic Acid; D000449:Aldehyde Reductase; C022616:thiazolyl blue