title: Determination of the antimutagenicity of an aqueous extract of Rhizophora mangle L. (Rhizophoraceae), using in vivo and in vitro test systems.
abstract: An aqueous extract of Rhizophora mangle L. bark is used as raw material in pottery making in the State of Espirito Santo, Brazil. This extract presents large quantities of tannins, compounds possessing antioxidant properties. Tannin antioxidant activity, as a plant chemical defense mechanism in the process of stabilizing free radicals, has been an incentive to studies on anti-mutagenicity. The present work aimed to evaluate possible antimutagenic activity of a R. mangle aqueous extract, using the Allium cepa test-system and micronuclear (MN) assay with blockage of cytokinesis in Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO-K1). The Allium cepa test-system indicated antimutagenic activity against the damage induced by the mutagenic agent methyl methanesulfonate. A reduction in both MN cell frequency and chromosome breaks occurred in both the pre and post-treatment protocols. The MN testing of CHO-K1 cells revealed anti-mutagenic activity of the R. mangle extract against methyl methanesulfonate and doxorubicin in pre, simultaneous and post-treatment protocols. These results suggest the presence of phyto-constituents in the extract presenting demutagenic and bio-antimutagenic activities. Since the chemical constitution of Rhizophora mangle species presents elevated tannin content, it is highly probable that these compounds are the antimutagenic promoters themselves.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, ES Brazil.
authors.forename: Maressa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malini
authors.forename: Maria Aparecida
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Marin-Morales
authors.forename: Mário Sérgio
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Mantovani
authors.forename: Claudia Masrouah
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Jamal
authors.forename: Natália
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nati
authors.forename: Tatiane
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: da Silva Passos
authors.forename: Silvia Tamie
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Matsumoto