title: Assessment of the potential genotoxic risk of Phyllantus orbicularis HBK aqueous extract using in vitro and in vivo assays.
abstract: Phyllanthus orbicularis HBK is an endemic Cuban plant whose aqueous extract has been proposed as an effective drug for the treatment of viral diseases. In addition, antimutagenic properties of this extract have also been reported. In the present study, the genotoxicity of this plant extract was assessed using different in vitro and in vivo assays. Results from SOS gene induction, gene reversion and conversion, and SMART assays clearly show that P. orbicularis aqueous extract does not induce either primary DNA damage or mutation. Additionally, no statistically significant difference was found in the percentage of chromosomal aberrations in Chinese hamster ovarian (CHO) cells treated with the plant extract. On the contrary, micronuclei and abnormal anaphase were induced by this extract in CHO cells. This genotoxic effect was related to a high cytotoxicity. Single spots were detected in the SMART assay. These results point to a possible aneugenic effect of the P. orbicularis aqueous extract at cytotoxic doses which are much higher than those seen by their antiviral and antimutagenic activities.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Vegetal, Laboratorio de Toxicología Genética, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de la Habana, Vedado, Ciudad de la Habana, Cuba. alamar@fbio.uh.cu
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Lamar
authors.forename: Jorge Luís
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Fuentes
authors.forename: Gladys
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cápiro
authors.forename: Mirle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferrer
authors.forename: Alena
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alonzo
authors.forename: Ligia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baluja
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cozzi
authors.forename: Rosella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Salvia
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fiore
authors.forename: Montserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Llagostera
mesh_terms: D000705:Anaphase / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D016466:CHO Cells; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000187:drug effects; D006224:Cricetinae; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D009154:Mutation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D029803:Phyllanthus / Q000633:toxicity*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000633:toxicity*; D013014:SOS Response, Genetics / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D004247:DNA