Abstract
INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to evaluate the cytocompatibility and odonto-inductive potential of an indigenously developed apitherapeutic pulp capping agent Api-Therapeutic Pulp Guard (ATPG) by assessing cell viability and dentinogenic gene expression using human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: hDPSCs were exposed to eluates of ATPG and compared with calcium hydroxide (RC-Cal) and control. MTT assay was used to assess cell viability, LIVE/DEAD staining was performed using calcein-AM and ethidium homodimer, and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) evaluated DSPP gene expression. This comprehensive approach provided complementary insights into cell metabolic activity, membrane integrity, and odontogenic potential of the test materials. RESULTS: ATPG exhibited high cell viability (96.52 %), significantly greater than calcium hydroxide (84.25 %) (p < 0.01). LIVE/DEAD assay confirmed better membrane integrity with a predominance of green (live) stained cells. qPCR showed a 3.6-fold upregulation of DSPP gene expression in ATPG-treated cells, suggesting strong odontogenic differentiation. CONCLUSION: The ATPG formulation demonstrated superior biocompatibility and odontogenic potential compared to conventional calcium hydroxide, underscoring its promise for translation in regenerative endodontic therapy.