title: Cytotoxic effect of Salvadora persica extracts on human gingival fibroblast cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the cytotoxic potential of Salvadora persica (S. persica) extracts on human gingival fibroblast (HGF) cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted between January and May 2012 in collaboration with Dental Caries Research Chair, College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Extracts of S. persica using hexane, ethylacetate, and ethanol as solvents at concentrations of 0.5 mg/ml and 1 mg/ml were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against HGFs using the 3 cytotoxic assays: (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, a tetrazole) (MTS), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), and crystal violet (CV). International standards for the evaluation of medical materials recommended cut-off value of cell survival &gt;70% was used for interpretation of the results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ethanol extract of S. persica at 0.5 mg/ml and 1 mg/ml and hexane extract of S. persica at 0.5 mg/ml were completely devoid of cytotoxic activity, hexane extract at 1 mg/ml in comparison with controls  demonstrated some cytotoxicity with cell survival of 88% (p=0.045) in MTS, 86% (p=0.01) in LDH, and 88% (p=0.002) in CV assays. Similarly, ethyl acetate extract of S. persica at 0.5 mg/ml maintained cell viability of 91% in MTS, 81% in LDH, and 80% in CV assays. Maximum cytotoxicity against HGFs was observed with ethyl acetate extract of S. persica at 1 mg/ml with cell survival of 60% in MTS, 40% in LDH, and 66% CV assays (p=0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The acceptable level of cytotoxicity associated with S. persica ethanol and hexane extracts requires further evaluation to be used as irrigation solutions in endodontic treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dental Science, Division of Endodontics, College of Dentistry, King Saud University, PO Box 62645, Riyadh 11545, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Tel. +966 (11) 4677420. E-mail. h_balto@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Hanan A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Balto
authors.forename: Khaled K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Al-Manei
authors.forename: Talal M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Bin-Mohareb
authors.forename: Zahid A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Shakoor
authors.forename: Solaiman M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Al-Hadlaq
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D005881:Gingiva / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D032121:Salvadoraceae / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase