Antiestrogenic and antigenotoxic activity of bee pollen from Cystus incanus and Salix alba as evaluated by the yeast estrogen screen and the micronucleus assay in human lymphocytes.
The estrogenic/antiestrogenic activity and the genotoxicity/antigenotoxicity of bee pollen from Salix alba L. and Cystus incanus L. and its derivative extracts in yeast and human cells was investigated. All samples showed a marked inhibitory effect on the activity of the natural estrogen 17 beta-estradiol (higher than 90% for extracts 2) and failed to cause estrogenic activity and chromosome damage. At least one preparation from each species showed a marked antigenotoxic effect against the action of the anticancer drugs mytomicin C, bleomycin, and vincristine. Bee pollens from C. incanus and S. alba were found to be neither genotoxic nor estrogenic as well as effective estrogen inhibitors, and able to reduce the chromosome damage induced by the three cancer drugs used, thus supporting their use as a safe food supplement and future chemoprotective/chemopreventive agents.
Pinto
Barbara
B
Dipartimento di Patologia Sperimentale, Biotecnologie Mediche, Infettivologia ed Epidemiologia, University of Pisa, Via San Zeno 37, 56127 Pisa, Italy. b.pinto@med.unipi.it
Caciagli
Francesca
F
Riccio
Elisabetta
E
Reali
Daniela
D
Sarić
Ana
A
Balog
Tihomir
T
Likić
Sasa
S
Scarpato
Roberto
R
D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees; D030601:Cistaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D020847:Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000494:pharmacology; D004967:Estrogens / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D009153:Mutagens / Q000494:pharmacology; D019800:Phenol / Q000032:analysis; D011058:Pollen / Q000737:chemistry*; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae; D032108:Salix / Q000737:chemistry*
D020847:Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D004967:Estrogens; D009153:Mutagens; D019800:Phenol