276 Evaluation of Cytotoxic effect of Garlic on human gingival fibroblasts: A Preliminary Study Fatih Özan (*), Muhsin Özdem (*), Ülkü Özan (*), Metin Şençimen (***), Zübeyde Akın Polat (**) * Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi Diş Hekimliği Fakültesi ** Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi *** GATA Diş Hekimliği Bilimleri Reprint request: Fatih Özan, Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi Diş Hekimliği Fakültesi E-mail: dtfatihozan@gmail.com ARAŞTIRMA/ORIGINAL ARTICLE Gülhane Tıp Derg 2013; 55: 276-280 © Gülhane Askeri Tıp Akademisi 2013 doi:10.5455/gulhane.28177 ABSTRACT In this study we aimed to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of garlic extract on human gingival fibroblasts. Garlic extracts were prepared at 5 different concentrations as 12.5%, 6.25%, 3.12%, 1.5%, and 0.6%. Cytotoxic effects of garlic and clorhexidine gluconat (CH) on human gingival fibroblasts were evaluated by agar diffusion method at 24 h. Garlic extracts concentrations at 6.25, 3.12, and 1.5% were not found cytotoxic on human gingival fibroblasts, whereas concentration at 12.5% was found cytotoxic, this effect was found less cytotoxic than CH. According to results of this study we could suggest that Garlic would have a promising role in the future for oral health, if appropriate solutions can be prepared. Key words: Garlic; chlorhexidin gluconat; human gingival fibroblast; cytotoxicity ÖZET Horner sendromu: tüp torakostominin oldukça nadir görülen bir komplikasyonu Çalışmamızda insan diş eti fibroblastları üzerine sarımsak özütünün sitotoksisitesi araştırıldı. %12.5, 6.25, 3.12, 1.5 ve 0.6’lık derişimlerde olmak üzere 5 farklı sarımsak çözeltisi hazırlandı. Klorheksidin glukonat ve sarımsağın insan dişeti fibroblastları üzerine olan sitotoksik etkileri 24. saatte agar difüzyon metodu ile değerlendirildi. % 6.25, 3.12 ve 1.5’lik derişimlerdeki sarımsak çözeltileri her hangi bir sitotoksik etki göstermemiştir. %12.5’luk derişimdeki sarımsak çözeltisi sitotoksik etki göstermiştir, bu etki klorheksidin glukonatın gösterdiğinden daha az bulunmuştur. Bu ön çalışmadan elde edilen verilere göre sarımsak çözeltisi ile hazırlanacak uygun solüsyonlar ağız sağlığının elde edilmesi yönünde gelecekte kullanılabilir. Anahtar kelimeler: Sarımsak; klorheksidin glukonat; insan dişeti fibroblastı, sitotoksisite Introduction Garlic (Allium sativum) has been used as a medicine since ancient times and has been known to have antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties (1). Several centuries ago the Egyptians used garlic to treat many disease entities (2). Aristotle and Hippocrates called attention to the healing powers of garlic, and Pasteur mentioned its medicinal and antibacterial properties (3). Garlic is composed of mainly of water (60-70g/100g fresh weight) and the most significant components, medicinally, is the organosulfur-containing compo- unds (3). Among other ingredients, it contains alliin/ allicin and its degradation products, and sulphur- containing essential oils (4). An intact garlic bulb does not contain allicin but rather its precursor, alliin, which is hydrolyzed to allicin, pyruvate, and ammonia by the phosphopyridoxal enzyme allinase when the tissue of the bulb is disrupted (5). These constituents of garlic, particularly alliin/ allicin, have been demonstrated to possess antioxidant properties, and to inhibit the production and/or release of mediators such as adenosine, prostaglandins and thromboxanes (6). Garlic has been claimed to be beneficial in infection, tumours, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis (7). There is increasing interest in its antihypertensive and antihypercholesterolaemic activity, also (8). Various garlic preparations have been shown to exhibit a wide spectrum of antibacterial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria including species of Escherichia, Salmonella, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Klebsiella, Proteus, Bacillus, and Clostridium. Even acid fast bacteria such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis are sensitive to garlic (9). Garlic extracts also have a strong antifungal effect, and allicin was assumed to be the main component Date submitted: Nov 11, 2012 • Date accepted: May 04, 2013 • Online publication date: December 30, 2013