title: Evaluation of clastogenic potential of the antimalarial plant Solanum nudum.
abstract: Compounds isolated from Solanum nudum have shown in vitro antimalarial activity against the FCB-2 strain of Plasmodium falciparum. Diosgenone (C27H40O3) the main component isolated from the hexane extract and an aqueous extract were evaluated to measure their clastogenic potential using the micronucleus test. Three concentrations (16, 32 and 64 g/kg of weight) of the aqueous extract were administered intraperitoneally into mice, (the highest concentration corresponded to 80% LD50) and diosgenone solubilized in olive oil was inoculated at the highest concentration possible (11.187 g/kg of weight). After administration of the compounds, no induction of micronucleus was observed either in polychromatic or normochromatic erythrocytes. Interestingly, a reduction of 51% in the young/mature erythrocytes ratio was seen in cells treated with aqueous extract. We conclude that neither diosgenone nor the aqueous extract have clastogenic activity, and that the aqueous extract showed some toxicity at the above mentioned concentrations. These results are significant since diosgenone could be a new therapeutic alternative for the treatment of malaria.
authors.affiliation: Grupo Malaria, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pabón
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carmona
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blair
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D032322:Solanum
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D010936:Plant Extracts