Comparative evaluation of bovine colostrum, cow’s milk, coconut water, and Hanks’ balanced salt solution in maintaining periodontal ligament cell viability

Aim: This in vitro study aims to analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of bovine colostrum (BC), cow’s milk (CM), coconut water (CW), and Hanks’ balanced salt solution (HBSS) in maintaining the viability of periodontal ligament (PDL) cells. Methods: PDL cells harvested from premolars freshly extracted for orthodontic reasons were cultured. PDL cell viability was assessed using the MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay after incubation with BC, CM, CW, and HBSS for 1 h. Optical density was measured using a spectrophotometric microplate reader, and statistical analysis was conducted using one-way analysis of variance. Results: PDL cell viability was highest in BC (97.11%), followed by HBSS (93.25%), CM (82.6%), and CW (50.01%). With P = 0.0302, BC showed noticeably greater PDL cell viability than the other mediums. Conclusion: Compared to CM, CW, and HBSS, BC demonstrated higher PDL cell viability, suggesting its potential as a more effective storage medium for avulsed teeth. Long-term viability and clinical applications require more investigation.