Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To examine the dose-dependent impact of Asiasari Radix(A. radix) on the cell viability,differentiation and mineralization of stem cells derived from gingiva.METHODS: Stem cells that were derived from gingiva were grown in the presence of A. radix at final concentrations that ranged from 0.001 to 10 μg/m L. The morphology of the cells was viewed under an inverted microscope and the analysis of cell proliferation was performed by using Cell Counting Kit-8(CCK-8) on day 1. The alkaline phosphatase activity test was used to assess differentiation and Alizarin red S staining was used to assess mineralization of treated cells.RESULTS: The control group showed spindleshaped, fibroblast-like morphology and the shapesof the cells in 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10 μg/mL of A.radix were similar to that of the control group at day 1. The cultures growing in the presence of0.001 μg/m L of A. radix at day 1 showed an increase in the CCK-8 value(P < 0.05). Cultures growing in the presence of 0.001 μg/m L of A. radix presented the highest value for alkaline phosphatase activity(P > 0.05). Mineralized extracellular deposits were observed after Alizarin Red S staining and the cultures grown in the presence of 0.001 μg/m L of A. radix showed the highest value for quantitative results for bound dye(P < 0.05).CONCLUSION: Within the limits of this study, A. radix influenced the proliferation of stem cells derived from the gingiva and low concentrations of A.radix might enhance osteogenic differentiation of the stem cells.

Key words: Cell differentiation, Plant roots, Plant extracts, Stem cells, Drugs,Chinese herbal