In Vivo Mutagenic And Antimutagenic Profiles Of Aqueous And Methanol Extracts Of Clinacanthus Nutans, Adhatoda Vasica And Carica Papaya
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Date
2014-07
Authors
Rathnasamy, Selestin
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
The consistent and thorough biological studies on traditional medicinal plants as well as other non-explored herbs and plants are vital to ensure a safe use of the plants and their potential pharmaceutical benefits, especially to reduce the risk of cancers and other age related diseases. In view of this, the preliminary study has focused to evaluate the mutagenic and/or antimutagenic potential of the dried young leaves (shoots) extracts of Clinacanthus nutans, Adhatoda vasica and Carica papaya, the medicinal plants used for treating various ailments, against a known direct mutagen, methyl methanesulfonate (MMS). The screening test was carried out by using Allium cepa chromosome assay. Also, the DPPH free radical scavenging strength and total phenolic contents of the crude extracts were measured in order to choose the best extract with chemo-preventive activity for further studies. All the extracts, except aqueous and methanol extracts of C. nutans and C. papaya, respectively, were found to be non-mutagenic to the normal cells. Methanol extract of A. vasica, on the other hand, was mitodepressive to A. cepa root cells at concentrations below 100 mg/kg. However, among the extracts, only the methanol extract of C. nutans was noted to be less cytotoxic, non-mutagenic and with best suppressive activity against MMS as well as showing high antioxidant activity. In contrast, the aqueous extract of C. nutans was found to possess pro-mutagenic activity at 800 mg/kg. Apart that, the free radical scavenging activities of all the aqueous extracts were poorer compared to their respective methanol extracts. Following this,the methanol extract of C. nutans was further partitioned and each of the fractions was evaluated for their mutagenic and antimutagenic activity using A. cepa chromosome test. Aqueous fraction of the methanol extract was very mito-depressive at all the doses, suggested its cytotoxic nature to the normal cell division. However, none of the fractions were mutagenic to the normal onion root cells. Among all the methanol extract fractions, n-hexane fraction showed the highest activity against MMS-induced cytotoxicity and mutagenicity, despite its comparably similar antioxidant strength and total phenolic contents with ethyl acetate and chloroform fractions. Antimutagenicity of the n-hexane fraction was further affirmed with two in vivo animal tests: bone marrow micronucleus assay and single cell gel electrophoresis assay (comet assay). Results obtained from the tests, using Mus musculus Swiss albino males as test animals, revealed the good antimutagenic capacity of the n-hexane fraction against MMS in animal bone marrow cells. The results, thereof, confirmed the good antimutagenic properties of the n-hexane fraction of the methanol extract of C. nutans and with further studies on its active principles a new and effective chemo-preventive agent could be developed.
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Keywords
Traditional medicinal plants , potential pharmaceutical benefits