title: Antimutagenic in vitro activity of plant polyphenols: Pycnogenol and Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761).
abstract: Ofloxacin (15 microg/mL) and acridine orange (5 microg/mL) induce mutagenicity by different mechanisms in the photosynthetic flagellate Euglena gracilis. The present study examined whether Pycnogenol (PYC; 5-100 microg/mL) or Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761; 5-100 microg/mL) could protect against the mutagenic effects of each of the mutagens and the potential mechanisms underlying such protection. The highest concentration of PYC and EGb 761 effectively reduced the mutagenic activity of both ofloxacin and acridine orange by more than 99% (p < 0.001). Using luminol-dependent photochemical methodology it was demonstrated that EGb 761 and PYC were effective antioxidants. In addition, as determined by spectrophotometry, PYC and EGb 761 bound acridine orange. Both PYC and EGb 761 have been shown to produce dual antimutagenic effects, as evidenced by both antioxidant and physicochemical properties. The findings suggest that EGb 761 and PYC would thus be suitable for future study, not only as antioxidants, but also as antimutagenic agents.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cell Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Mlynská dolina, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovak Republic. krizkova@fns.uniba.sk
authors.forename: Lívia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Krizková
authors.forename: Zuzana
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chovanová
authors.forename: Zdenka
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Duracková
authors.forename: Juraj
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Krajcovic
mesh_terms: D000165:Acridine Orange / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D016587:Antimutagenic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002417:Cattle; D004247:DNA / Q000187:drug effects; D005056:Euglena gracilis / Q000187:drug effects*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020441:Ginkgo biloba; D023421:Models, Animal; D009153:Mutagens / Q000494:pharmacology; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract
chemical_list: D000165:Acridine Orange; D016587:Antimutagenic Agents; D004247:DNA; D005419:Flavonoids; D009153:Mutagens; D015242:Ofloxacin; D010936:Plant Extracts; C063170:Ginkgo biloba extract; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract; C024070:pycnogenols; C427203:calf thymus DNA