Therapeutic Potential of Herbal Blend and Essential Nutrients Formulation in Promoting Chondrogenic Differentiation: A Study Using Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells

Background: Osteoarthritis remained a significant healthcare challenge, with current treatments primarily focusing on symptom management rather than chondrocyte regeneration. Human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) emerged as a promising cell source for chondrocyte regeneration. This study investigated the potential of herbal blend and essential nutrients formulation to enhance chondrogenic differentiation of hDPSCs and its implications for osteoarthritis treatment. Materials and Methods: The researchers evaluated herbal blend and essential nutrients formulation effects on hDPSCs across concentrations ranging from 1-50 μg/ml. The investigators used 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay for cytotoxicity evaluation, while they assessed chondrogenic differentiation using Safranin O staining to detect glycosaminoglycan production. Results: The formulation exhibited optimal cell viability at 5 μg/ml and 15 μg/ml. Chondrogenic differentiation showed the most pronounced effects at 5 μg/ml, demonstrating significantly enhanced glycosaminoglycan production compared to both control and 10 μg/ml treatment groups. The 10 μg/ml concentration, while showing less effectiveness than 5 μg/ml, demonstrated marked improvement over control conditions. Conclusion: This study established the potential of herbal blend and essential nutrients formulation as a promising therapeutic agent for osteoarthritis treatment, demonstrating optimal efficacy at 5 μg/ml for both cell viability and chondrogenic differentiation of hDPSCs. The synergistic effects of formulations herbal components and essential nutrients on hDPSC-mediated cartilage regeneration, offering a novel approach to regenerative therapy for osteoarthritis. Key words: Human dental pulp stem cells, Chondrocyte, Osteoarthritis, Shallaki, Curcumin