Aim: This study aimed to examine the cuttlebone nanoparticles prepared by ball-milling top-down approach without any thermal treatments or chemical additives to investigate its constituents, chemical composition, surface topography, cytotoxicity, and its effect on osteoblasts alkaline phosphatase assay. Also, its effect on alveolar bone of ovariectomized rats was histologically evaluated.
Materials and methods: Cuttlebone nanoparticles were characterized by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Both the elemental composition and its main compositional materials were measured using energy-dispersive X-ray and X-ray diffraction analyses, respectively. Moreover, we evaluated its cytotoxicity in dental pulp cells and examined its osteogenic effect on an osteoblast cell line for alkaline phosphatase activity. Histological examination was performed using a light microscope to investigate its effect on the ovariectomized alveolar bone of rats.
Results: The results revealed a nontoxic effect and a direct proportional relationship between the alkaline phosphatase absorption and cuttlebone concentration. Electron microscopy revealed a different regular spherical pattern. Elemental microanalysis detected high calcium and carbon levels, which was confirmed by X-ray diffraction and showed a high calcium carbonate composition. Histologically, normal alveolar bone architecture was noted after using cuttlebone nanoparticles in the ovariectomized group compared with the ovariectomized group only.
Conclusion: Raw cuttlebone nanoparticles can be used as biocompatible bone substitutes in bone regeneration.