title: Antioxidants in aqueous extract of Myristica fragrans (Houtt.) suppress mitosis and cyclophosphamide-induced chromosomal aberrations in Allium cepa L. cells.
abstract: In this study, freeze-dried water extract from the leaves of Myristica fragrans (Houtt.) was tested for mutagenic and antimutagenic potentials using the Allium cepa assay. Freeze-dried water extract alone and its combination with cyclophosphamide (CP) (50 mg/kg) were separately dissolved in tap water at 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 mg/kg. Onions (A. cepa) were suspended in the solutions and controls for 48 h in the dark. Root tips were prepared for microscopic evaluation. 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals' scavenging power of the extract was tested using butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) as standards. Water extract of Myristica fragrans scavenged free radicals better than BHA, but worse than BHT. The extract alone, as well as in combination with CP suppressed cell division, and induced chromosomal aberrations that were insignificantly different from the negative control (P ≤ 0.05). However, cytotoxic and mutagenic actions of CP were considerably suppressed. The observed effects on cell division and chromosomes of A. cepa may be principally connected to the antioxidant properties of the extract. The obtained results suggest mitodepressive and antimutagenic potentials of water extract of the leaves of M. fragrans as desirable properties of a promising anticancer agent.
authors: School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.
authors: Akeem
authors: A
authors: Akinboro
authors: Kamaruzaman Bin
authors: KB
authors: Mohamed
authors: Mohd Zaini
authors: MZ
authors: Asmawi
authors: Shaida Fariza
authors: SF
authors: Sulaiman
authors: Othman Ahmad
authors: OA
authors: Sofiman
mesh_terms: D000490:Allium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000187:drug effects*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000633:toxicity*; D008938:Mitosis / Q000502:physiology*; D026323:Myristica / Q000737:chemistry*; D010851:Picrates / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D010851:Picrates; D010936:Plant Extracts; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; C004931:1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl