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Updated: May 3, 2026

Induction of Periodontitis via a Combination of Ligature and Lipopolysaccharide Injection in a Rat Model
Published on: February 17, 2023
Response of human periodontal ligament cells to baicalin
Zhenhua Pei1, Baokui Wang, Fengqiu Zhang
1Department of Stomatology, 306th Hospital of People's Liberation Army, Beijing, China.
Background:
Periodontitis is the most common cause of tooth loss in adults. Periodontal ligament cell (PLC)-based therapy is considered one of the most promising methods in periodontal tissue regeneration. The traditional Chinese medicine baicalin has been shown to possess antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities and enhance cell proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity. The aim of this study is to investigate the response of human PLCs (HPLCs) to baicalin.
Methods:
The effect of baicalin on cultured HPLC proliferation was measured with a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. The effect of baicalin on the expression of osteoprotegerin (OPG), receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL), core binding factor α1 (Cbfα1), and osteocalcin (OC) was determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunodetection.
Results:
Baicalin at a concentration of 0.01 μg/mL promoted HPLC proliferation, upregulated OPG messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression, and downregulated RANKL mRNA and protein expression. In addition to reducing the RANKL/OPG expression ratio significantly, it also increased Cbfα1 and OC mRNA and protein expression.
Conclusion:
Baicalin showed multifaceted regulation of genes with important roles in tissue growth and differentiation, and thus it has the potential to be a promising candidate for HPLC-based periodontal regeneration therapy.

