Histopathological Examination of the Toxicity of Locally Synthesized Hydroxyapatite

The use of synthetic hydroxyapatite (HA) in medical application has been increasingly developed as bone substitute. Indonesia is very rich of natural resources, including gypsum. Hydroxyapatite can be chemically synthesized from gypsum and ideally as biomaterial, hydroxyapatite should not be toxic. Acute toxicity can be identified by the increasing number of the neutrophils. “Objective:” The present study was designed to examine the effect of synthesized hydroxyapatite from local gypsum on the acute toxicity of Rattus norvegicus. “Methods:” Thirty Rattus norvegicus were used as the experimental animals. They were divided into three groups (n=10), and were given Local-HA, Branded-HA, and , aquadest (as control) orally. The animals were observed for 7 days and histopathological examination was conducted on the number of the neutrophils of the liver. Collected data were statistically analyzed (ANOVA). “Result:” The analysis of variance of the number of the neutrophils showed no significant difference among the three groups (p > 0.05). “Conclusion:” Locally synthesized hydroxyapatite does not have the capacity to induce acute toxicity in Rattus norvegicus, therefore it is potential to be developed as an alternative material for bone substitute.