METHODS: 240 extracted human teeth were sectioned to obtain 6 mm of the middle third of the root. The root canal was enlarged to an internal diameter of 0.9 mm. The specimens were inoculated with E. faecalis for 21 days. Following this, specimens were randomly divided into eight groups (n = 30) according to the intracanal medicament placed: group I: saline, group II: chitosan, group III: propolis100 µg/ml (P100), group IV: propolis 250 µg/ml (P250), group V: chitosan-propolis nanoparticle 100 µg/ml (CPN100), group VI: chitosan-propolis nanoparticle 250 µg/ml (CPN250), group VII: calcium hydroxide(CH) and group VIII: 2% chlorhexidine (CHX) gel. Dentine shavings were collected at 200 and 400 μm depths, and total numbers of CFUs were determined at the end of day one, three and seven. The non-parametric Kruskal Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were used to compare the differences in reduction of CFUs between all groups and probability values of p electron microscope (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) were also performed after exposure to CPNs. The effectiveness of CPNs were also evaluated against E. faecalis isolated obtained from patients having failed root canal treatment.
RESULTS: The treatments of chitosan, P100, P250, CPN100, CPN250, CH and 2% CHX reduced the CFUs significantly compared to saline (p
METHODS: Nerve conduit was developed using decellularised artery seeded with C. asiatica-neurodifferentiated MSCs (ndMSCs). A 1.5 cm sciatic nerve injury in Sprague-Dawley rat was bridged with reversed autograft (RA) (n = 3, the gold standard treatment), MSC-seeded conduit (MC) (n = 4) or ndMSC-seeded conduit (NC) (n = 4). Pinch test and nerve conduction study were performed every 2 weeks for a total of 12 weeks. At the 12th week, the conduits were examined by histology and transmission electron microscopy.
RESULTS: NC implantation improved the rats' sensory sensitivity in a similar manner to RA. At the 12th week, nerve conduction velocity was the highest in NC compared with that of RA and MC. Axonal regeneration was enhanced in NC and RA as shown by the expression of myelin basic protein (MBP). The average number of myelinated axons was significantly higher in NC than in MC but significantly lower than in RA. The myelin sheath thickness was higher in NC than in MC but lower than in RA.
CONCLUSION: NC showed promising effects on nerve regeneration and functional restoration similar to those of RA. These findings revealed the neuroregenerative properties of C. asiatica and its potential as an alternative strategy for the treatment of critical size nerve defect.
METHODOLOGY: The expression of stemness markers for DPSC and SHED was evaluated using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Alkaline phosphatase assay was used to compare the osteoblastic differentiation of these cells (2D culture). Then, cells were seeded on the scaffold and incubated for 21 days. Morphology assessment using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) was done while osteogenic differentiation was detected using ALP assay (3D culture).
RESULTS: The morphology of cells was mononucleated, fibroblast-like shaped cells with extended cytoplasmic projection. In RT-PCR study, DPSC and SHED expressed GAPDH, CD73, CD105, and CD146 while negatively expressed CD11b, CD34 and CD45. FESEM results showed that by day 21, dental stem cells have a round like morphology which is the morphology of osteoblast as compared to day 7. The osteogenic potential using ALP assay was significantly increased (p