title: Anti-clastogenic activity of two structurally related pterocarpans purified from Bituminaria bituminosa in cultured human lymphocytes.
abstract: Plant-derived isoflavones are currently receiving much attention because of their phyto-estrogenic, antioxidant, anti-mutagenic, and anti-tumor activities. In this study we have evaluated the clastogenic and anti-clastogenic activities in human lymphocytes of two structurally related pterocarpans, iso-flavonoid derivatives, termed erybraedin C and bitucarpin A, recently purified from Bituminaria bituminosa and chemically characterized. Mitomycin C (MMC) and the radio-mimetic bleomycin (BL) were used as reference clastogens. The end point studied was micronucleus formation. The results obtained in this study indicate that erybraedin C and bitucarpin A, when assayed alone, do not affect either the mitotic index or the cell-proliferation index of human lymphocytes. Interestingly, both compounds appear to be non-clastogenic in the range of concentrations used. In contrast, both substances seem to affect significantly the clastogenic effects induced by BL and MMC. A 1-h pre-exposition of the cell culture to erybraedin C was necessary to display its anti-clastogenic potential against BL, whereas bitucarpin A was inactive in this respect, with a structure-activity relationship. In contrast, the clastogenic activity of MMC was significantly reduced by both erybraedin C and bitucarpin A, using either a pre-incubation schedule or simultaneous treatment. These results suggest that the protective effects displayed by the two anti-clastogenic compounds against MMC could be due to the induction or inhibition of cellular reductive metabolic enzymes.
authors.affiliation: Mutagenesis and Biochemistry in Somatic Cells Unit, IBF CNR, Via G. Moruzzi 1, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maurich
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pistelli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Turchi
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016587:Antimutagenic Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000633:toxicity; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000633:toxicity; D036343:Pterocarpans / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D016587:Antimutagenic Agents; D036343:Pterocarpans; C488768:bitucarpin A; C488769:erybraedin C; D001761:Bleomycin; D016685:Mitomycin