Background and aims: Tissue engineering facilities can be used for repair of bone defects. Recently mesenchymal stem cells have continued to draw considerable interests due to their applications in tissue engineering. These cells have ability to distinct to osteoblasts. Several growth factors control to distinct stem cells to osteoblasts. Plant metabolites also like growth factors can control differentiation process. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of oleoresin from turmeric plant (Curcuma longa L.) on the increase of differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cell to bone cells.

Methods: The human mesenchymal stem cells obtained from bone cells were treated by 5 and 15 µM of oleoresin .The cytotoxic effect of oleoresin was studied by MTT test,  and the role of oleoresin on differentiation was investigated by alkaline phosphatase assay and alizarin red staining.

Results: The results of MTT test showed that 24 h after treatment of cells by oleoresin, oleoresin significantly increase the proliferation of cells and had no toxic effect (P<0.05). The activity of alkaline phosphatase in treated cells was higher than the control which attributed to the start of differentiation process (P<0.05). The results of alizarin red staining showed that the oleoresin has no effect on increase of precipitation of mineral ions on extracellular matrix.

Conclusion: The results showed that the oleoresin has positive role only at initial stages. Oleoresin has several active components such as curcumin and volatile oils which promote the differentiation of stem cells to osteoblasts cells.