[The effect of benzenecarboxylic acids--in particular mellitic acid--in in vitro biological system].

Influence of Benzenecarboxylic Acids, Particularly Mellitic Acid, on Biological in vitro Systems. In a first part of the present paper influences of mellitic acid and some other benzenecarboxylic acids on reduplication of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells cultured in vitro are reported. Mellitic acid in the concentration range between 1 and 5 mmol/l caused an increase, in concentrations of 10 mmol/l and above an inhibition of cell multiplication. Benzoic acid, phthalic acid, hemimellitic acid and pyromellitic acid showed in concentrations above 6 to 10 mmol/l inhibitory effects on cell multiplication. The second part reports studies on potential influences of mellitic acid on growth and mesenchymal metabolism of explanted murine fetal tibiae cultured in vitro for six days. Mellitic acid effected in concentrations between 0.5 and 15 mmol/l as compared with control cultures a concentration dependent inhibition of calcification and in concentrations above 2 mmol/l significant increases of the glycosaminoglycan content and growth of the explants, whereas DNA-, total protein- and hydroxyprolin content were not significantly influenced by concentrations up to 10 mmol/l.