A Laboratory Investigation of Propolis Hydrogel as a Novel Storage Medium for Avulsed Teeth Prior to Replantation

BACKGROUND/AIM: Propolis, known for its potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects, when incorporated into a hydrogel, may enhance the preservation of human periodontal ligament cell viability following dental trauma. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a novel propolis-enriched hydrogel as a storage medium for avulsed teeth prior to replantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The hydrogel was prepared by mixing distilled water with a gelling agent and macerating the mixture for 24 h. Subsequently, samples containing 70% ethanol and water were formulated with varying volumes of propolis extract. The physical properties of the hydrogel were then evaluated. Human periodontal ligament fibroblasts were incubated with the test materials for 3 and 6 h, after which cell viability was assessed using the PrestoBlue reagent and compared with pasteurized milk and saline (0.9% NaCl), which served as a negative control. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA followed by Fisher's least significant difference post hoc test. RESULTS: The findings demonstrated that the incorporation of propolis into the hydrogel formulations enhanced their bioactive properties, particularly increasing phenolic content and antioxidant activity. In terms of human periodontal ligament fibroblast viability, no significant differences were observed among groups after 3 h. However, after 6 h, cell viability in the saline group decreased to 67% of the control, while all other groups maintained approximately 100% viability. CONCLUSIONS: Propolis hydrogels effectively preserved the viability of human periodontal ligament cells for at least six hours. A comprehensive evaluation of all parameters suggests that the hydrogel formulation containing 6 g of water-based propolis extract provides the most favorable balance between mechanical properties and biocompatibility.