Bracken-fern extracts can be clastogenic or aneugenic depending on the tissue cell assay.
The consumption of bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) as food is associated with a high incidence of cancer in humans and animals. We investigated the cytogenetic effects of bracken-fern extracts (hexane extract-HE, ethanol extract-EE, hot water extract-HWE and cold water extract-CWE) on chromosomes of peritoneal and bone-marrow cells of Swiss mice. In peritoneal cells, all four treatments (HE, EE, HWE and CWE) induced structural chromosome aberrations, but the EE also induced numerical chromosome aberrations. In bone-marrow cells both HE and CWE induced structural chromosome aberrations; additionally, the number of abnormal metaphases was higher in peritoneum than in bone marrow. We suggest that bracken fern induces cytogenetic damage through DNA strand breaks and affects chromosome segregation.
Almeida Santos
Maria de Fátima M
Mde F
Departamento de Genética e Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, 70910-900 Brasília, DF, Brazil.
Dórea
José G
JG
Luna
Helena
H
D000782:Aneuploidy; D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D019457:Chromosome Breakage; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006586:Hexanes / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity / Q000166:cytology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000633:toxicity*; D032498:Pteridium / Q000737:chemistry*; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
D006586:Hexanes; D009153:Mutagens; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012997:Solvents; D014867:Water; D000431:Ethanol