Effect of Root Canal Sealers on Mouse Peritoneal Macrophage Function

ABSTRACT. Three root canal filling materials, viz . calcium hydroxide-based cement (Apexit ® , resin-based cement (AH-plus ® ) and glass-ionomer based material (Ketac Endo ® ) were tested for their influence on several functions of peritoneal macrophages from Balb/c mice. Macrophage functions were evaluated by the adhe- rence, phagocytic, candidacidal and Nitro blue tetrazolium-dye assays. Ketac-Endo ® enhanced all macro- phage functions in the first 2 d ( p 0.05), when compared to the positive control, but this effect had changed after 7 and 14 d, causing inhibition of these functions. Other materials suppressed substrate adherence capa- city and phagocytosis, while significantly st imulating macrophage microbicidal activity ( p 0.05) in a time- dependent manner