The ultimate goal of periodontal therapy is the regeneration of periodontal tissue and the repair of function. For more than a decade there have been many efforts to develop materials and methods of treatment to promote periodontal tissue regeneration. Recently many efforts are concentrated on the regeneration potential of material used in traditional medicine. Safflower(Carthamus tinctorius L.) seed extract(SSE) have long clinically used in Korea to promote bone formation and prevent osteoporosis.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of SSE on bone formation in human osteoblastic cell line. Human fetal osteoblastic cell line(hFOB 1.19) was cultured with DMEM and SSE(1µg/ml, 10µg/ml, 100µg/ml, 1mg/ml) at 34℃ with 5% CO₂ in 100% humidity. The proliferation, differentiation of the cell was evaluated by several experiments.

Cell proliferation was significantly increased at 10µg/ml, 100µg/ml, 1mg/ml of SSE after 3 and 7 days incubation(p<0.05). Cell spreading assay was significantly increased at 100µg/ml of SSE after 3 days and 1µg/ml, 10µg/ml, 100µg/ml, 1mg/ml of SSE after 7 days(p<0.05). Alkaline Phosphatase(ALP) level was significantly increased in 10µg/ml, 100µg/ml of SSE(p<0.05). Collagen synthesis was significantly increased at 10µg/ml, 100µg/ml, 1mg/ml of SSE(p<0.05). A quantified calcium accumulation was significantly increased at 10µg/ml, 100µg/ml of SSE(p<0.05). ALP and osteocalcin mRNA was expressed in 100µg/ml of SSE by RT-PCR.

These results indicate that SSE are capable of increasing osteoblasts mineralization and may play an important role in bone formation.