The effects of chlorhexidine digluconate on human fibroblasts in vitro.

Full Abstract

The drug chlorhexidine has been widely utilized as a wound antiseptic and oral antimicrobial rinse. There have been numerous reports on its safety as an oral rinse, but its effects on wound healing have been contradictory. The present study utilized human fibroblasts derived from skin and oral tissues to test the effects of chlorhexidine on viability, growth, collagen gel contractions, and total protein synthesis. Cells were exposed for an hour to 0.005% and 0.002% chlorhexidine and for 30 seconds to 0.12% chlorhexidine. Our results indicate that a 0.002% concentration of the drug shows minimal cytotoxicity, but is able to suppress cell division almost completely. Collagen gel contraction, as a model of wound contraction, was also severely affected by all of the concentrations of chlorhexidine used. Total protein synthesis was suppressed by chlorhexidine in collagen gel culture. The data support the hypothesis that chlorhexidine is highly cytotoxic to cells in vitro, but various cell functions such as proliferation, collagen gel contraction, and protein synthesis are affected to different degrees by the drug.

Author information

Author/s: Pucher, J J (JJ); Daniel, J C (JC);

Affiliation: College of Dentistry, Department of Histology, University of Illinois, Chicago.

Grants: DE-08696 (Agency:NIDCR NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: Journal of periodontology (J Periodontol), published in UNITED STATES. (Language: eng)

Reference: 1992-Jun; vol 63 (issue 6) : pp 526-32

Dates: Created 1992/08/12; Completed 1992/08/12; Revised 2007/11/14;

PMID: 1625152, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article
(including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.