AN IN VITRO GENOTOXICITY STUDY OF VALUE ADDED HYDROXYAPATITE

BDS, M.Clin.Dent.Restorative(Periodontology). Senior Lecturer and Co-ordinator of Periodontics, School of Dental Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). Consultant Periodontist, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM). Researcher in the field of biomaterials and genotoxicity testing.

Hydroxyapatite(HA) used for bone replacement is one of the most active areas of biomaterials research currently.It has been used for the last 30 years due to its excellent biocompatibility,osseoconduction and osseointegration.Many modifications have been done to develop a stronger,tougher and biocompatible HA due to pure HA is brittle.Our scientists have made this value added HA that is less brittle compared to pure HA.This study was to evaluate the genotoxicity of the value added HA using Bacterial Reverse Mutation Assay/Ames test.Mutated Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli strains were chosen for this test. The results of the tests revealed that all strains showed no reserve mutation with the tested HA at all concentrations.In conclusion,the tested HA was considered to have no reverse mutagenic potential. Ultimately researchers and scientists should concern the needs of biocompatibility testing of new materials before allowing for medical use,mutagenesis systems to exclude cytotoxic or mutagenic properties are applied worldwide.This book,therefore,provokes them to undergo genotoxicity studies particularly on implant materials.