On the mechanism of cytotoxicity of silver and copper amalgams in a cell culture system

Abstract

ABSTRACT – Silver and copper amalgams show a pronounced cytotoxic effect on monolayer cultures of human epithelial cells (NCTG 2544). Analyses of the medium from silver amalgam cultures showed that, zinc was released in substantial amounts (14 μg/ml after incubation for 24 h). Small amounts of mercury and possibly also some silver were released, whereas release of copper and tin could not be. detected. Toxicity tests showed that 10 μg Zn2+/ml reduced the number of cells by 96% after incubation for 24 h. In the copper amalgam cultures about. 100 μg copper and 5 μg, cadmium per ml medium were found after 24 h. Only small amounts of mercury were released, Toxicity tests showed an increasing effect of Cu2+ and Cd2+ with tune. With 50 μg Cu2+/ml the number of cells was reduced by 73% after incubation for 24 h, and after 3 d a similar effect was found with 25 μg/ml. With 10 μg Cd2+/ml no cells were left after 24 h, whereas after 3 d 1μg/ml reduced cell growth by more than 80 %.