Eugenol: liberation from dental materials and effect on human diploid fibroblast cells

Abstract
The amount of eugenol (4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol) released from 4 different dental materials immersed in phosphate buffer was measured by GLC [Eugenol, usually in combination with zinc oxide, is used in dentistry as wound dressings, impression materials or as temporary filling materials. Dental materials containing eugenol can have harmful effects in vivo and zinc oxide-eugenol cements cytotoxic effects in cell culture systems.] Maximal release of eugenol from zinc oxide-eugenol cement (ZOE) and IRM was attained within 5 h had corresponded to 5% and 4%, respectively, of the total amount of eugenol in each material. The rates and total amounts of eugenol released from Nobetec and Opotow were lower than for ZOE and IRM. Eugenol (0.67 mM) applied to growing cultures of human diploid fibroblasts reduced the number of cells recovered to a valve which was 4% of that found for control cultures which were incubated for 1 h in the presence of 4 mM eugenol lost approximately 100% of this cytoplasmic label, indicating total cell death.