In vitro cytotoxic and non-genotoxic effects of gutta-percha solvents on mouse lymphoma cells by single cell gel (comet) assay.

Chloroform and eucalyptol are widely used in clinical dentistry as gutta-percha solvents. However, these compounds may represent a hazard to human health, especially by causing injury to genetic apparatus and/or inducing cellular death. In this study, the genotoxic and cytotoxic potentials associated with exposure to chloroform and eucalyptol were assessed on mouse lymphoma cells in vitro by the single cell gel (comet) assay and trypan blue exclusion test, respectively. Both gutta-percha solvents proved to be cytotoxic at the same levels in concentrations of 2.5, 5 and 10 microL/mL (p<0.05). On the other hand, neither of the solvents induced DNA breakage. Taken together, these results suggest that although both tested compounds (chloroform and eucalyptol) are strong cytotoxicants, it seems that they are not likely to increase the level of DNA damage on mammalian cells.

Acute effects of 60-Hz electromagnetic fields on ex vivo murine lymphocyte and macrophage functions, and in vitro tumor cell growth.

Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) have been associated with impairing health. There are data that associate EMFs exposure to incidence of cancer, but there are conflicting results between epidemiological and laboratory studies. Similarly studies on the effect of EMF on the immune system have produced variable results. In the present study, we evaluated the acute effects of 60 Hz EMFs exposure at 1.0 mT, on proliferation of murine thymic lymphocytes, production of nitric oxide and phagocytosis of Candida albicans by peritoneal murine macrophages, as well as the effect of 8 h/day of EMF exposure during 6 days on proliferation of murine lymphoma L5178Y-R cell growth. We observed that exposure to EMF did not alter lymphocyte and macrophage functions, and did not affect in vitro cell growth of the murine lymphoma cell line L5178Y-R.