Effect of Capsaicin on Proliferation and Wound Healing of Dental Pulp Cells In Vitro

Aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of capsaicin on the proliferation and wound healing in dental pulp cells. A clonal cell line derived from dental pulp of the rat incisor was treated with capsaicin solutions of 1 nM - 10 µM, prepared from capsaicin gel. Cell proliferation and cytotoxity were evaluated by cell counting and using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide colorimeter assay. Areas of cell migration towards the wound scratch were measured to determine its capability on wound healing. While the 10 µM capsaicin solution expressed very high cytotoxicity, the lower concentrations (1 nM - 0.1 µM) showed a significant increase in cell viability on days 2 -7 (P<0.05). Dental pulp cells treated with 0.01 µM capsaicin solution migrated towards the scratched wound more widely (P = 0.03), compared to the control. Capsaicin of lower than 1 µM is non-toxic to dental pulp cells and able to stimulate proliferation and migration of the dental pulp cells, suggesting its benefit on healing dental pulp injury.