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Cytotoxicity of Gallium and Indium Ions Compared with Mercuric Ion

University of Melbourne, School of Dental Science, 711 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000, Australia

H.H. Messer

University of Melbourne, School of Dental Science, 711 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000, Australia

G. Ellender

University of Melbourne, School of Dental Science, 711 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000, Australia

The use of mercury in dental amalgam restorations has become the subject of political controversy despite its long history of safe clinical use, and alternative materials based on gallium and indium rather than mercury have been developed. The biological safety of these metals must be evaluated, as part of their assessment as mercury substitutes. The cytotoxicities of mercury (II) nitrate, gallium (III) nitrate, and indium (III) nitrate were assessed at concentrations between 0.001 mmol/L and 1.0 mmol/L, using L929 mouse fibroblasts and the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetric assay and scanning electron microscopy. The mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity at each metal ion concentration as a percentage of the control was calculated from the absorbance values. The 50% inhibition concentration of mercury (II) nitrate was 0.35 mmol/L for cells in the rapid-growth phase and at confluence; gallium (III) nitrate and indium (III) nitrate did not significantly inhibit dehydrogenase activity in either the growing or confluent phase. Gallium and indium ions were not significantly toxic under the conditions of this assay.

Key Words: Cytotoxicity • Metal Salts • Mercury • Microscopy (Electron • Scanning).

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Journal of Dental Research, Vol. 73, No. 9, 1554-1559 (1994)
DOI: 10.1177/00220345940730091101


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This Article Abstract Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Chandler, J.E. Articles by Ellender, G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Chandler, J.E. Articles by Ellender, G. Pubmed/NCBI databases Compound via MeSH Substance via MeSH Hazardous Substances DB GALLIUM INDIUM INDIUM TRICHLORIDE MERCURIC NITRATE MERCUROUS NITRATE MERCURY COMPOUNDS MERCURY, ELEMENTAL Medline Plus Health Information Mercury Social Bookmarking                         What's this?