Alleviation of Oxidative Stress in Dental Pulp Cells Following 4-Hexylresorcinol Administration in a Rat Model

Damaged dental pulp undergoes oxidative stress and 4-hexylresorcinol (4HR) is a well-known antioxidant. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of a 4HR ointment on damaged dental pulp. Pulp cells from rat mandibular incisor were cultured and treated with 4HR or resveratrol (1-100 mu M). These treatments (10-100 mu M) exerted a protective effect during subsequent hydrogen peroxide treatments. The total antioxidant capacity and glutathione peroxidase activity were significantly increased following 4HR or resveratrol treatment (p < 0.05), while the expression levels of TNF-alpha and IL1 beta were decreased following the exposure to 4HR pre-treatment in an in vitro model. Additionally, the application of 4HR ointment in an exposed dental pulp model significantly reduced the expression of TNF-alpha and IL1 beta (p < 0.05). Conclusively, 4HR exerted protective effects against oxidative stress in dental pulp tissues through downregulating TNF-alpha and IL1 beta.