In Vitro Toxicity Evaluation of Carrageenan on Cells and Tissues of the Oral Cavity

Abstract

Carrageenan is a highly potent anti-human papillomavirus (HPV) agent with the potential for formulation as a mouthwash against oral HPV infection. However, its toxic effect on tissues of the oral cavity is currently unknown. This study aims to evaluate the safety of carrageenan on human cells and tissues of the oral cavity. Human salivary gland cells and reconstructed human oral epithelium (RHOE) were used for this in vitro study. The cells were subjected to 0.005–100 µg/mL of carrageenan for 4, 12, and 24 h in quadruplicate. RHOE were exposed to 100 µg/mL of carrageenan for 24 h in triplicate and stained with hematoxylin/eosin for histological analyses. All experiments had saline and 1% sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) as negative and positive controls, respectively. Carrageenan tissue toxicity was evaluated using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay to quantify cell viability. Tissue toxicity was further evaluated histologically by an oral pathologist to assess morphological changes. Our data showed that carrageenan did not significantly decrease cell and tissue viability when compared to the positive control. The histological evaluation of the RHOE also showed no loss of viability of the carrageenan-treated sample compared to untreated tissue. In contrast, 1% SDS-treated RHOE showed extensive tissue destruction. Our experiments suggest that carrageenan is safe for use in the oral cavity.

Recent Developments and Formulations for Hydrophobic Modification of Carrageenan Bionanocomposites

“…Additionally, elaborate studies have been carried out by several scientists in recent years, among which a study conducted by Alli and team regarding the in vitro toxicity of carrageenan on oral cavity cells and tissues stated that no significant detrimental effects were observed in the cell number and viability [ 31 ]. Valado and group studied the effect of carrageenan on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and metabolic syndrome, where they reported that interestingly, carrageenan has the potential to decrease the lipid profile in the system, thereby preventing CVD and controlling metabolic syndrome [ 32 ].…”