Glutathione Can Efficiently Prevent Direct Current–induced Cytotoxicity

Abstract We have reported that direct current (DC) with antibacterial agents used in iontophoresis for root canal disinfection induced host cell necrotic cytotoxicity, and this DC-induced cytotoxicity may be because of generated free radicals and metal ions eluted from metal electrodes. Iontophoresis is still used in some cases, and thus it is necessary to consider how we may prevent DC-induced cytotoxicity of host cells of periapical lesions. Thus, we compared the protective effects of various antioxidants on the DC-induced cytotoxicity against host cells. N-acetyl-L-cysteine and glutathione (GSH) efficiently prevented DC-induced cytotoxicity against human polymorphnuclear cells (PMNs) (p