title: Dragon's blood Croton palanostigma induces genotoxic effects in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dragon's blood is a dark-red sap produced by species from the genus Croton (Euphorbiaceae), which has been used as a famous traditional medicine since ancient times in many countries, with scarce data about its safe use in humans. In this research, we studied genotoxicity and clastogenicity of Croton palanostigma sap using the comet assay and micronucleus test in cells of mice submitted to acute treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  HPLC analysis was performed to identify the main components of the sap. The sap was administered by oral gavage at doses of 300 mg/kg, 1,000 mg/kg and 2,000 mg/kg. For the analysis, the comet assay was performed on the leukocytes and liver cells collected 24h after treatment, and the micronucleus test (MN) on bone marrow cells. Cytotoxicity was assessed by scoring 200 consecutive polychromatic (PCE) and normochromatic (NCE) erythrocytes (PCE/NCE ratio).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The alkaloid taspine was the main compound indentified in the crude sap of Croton palanostigma. The results of the genotoxicity assessment show that all sap doses tested produced genotoxic effects in leukocytes and liver cells and also produced clastogenic/aneugenic effects in bone marrow cells of mice at the two higher doses tested. The PCE/NCE ratio indicated no cytotoxicity. The data obtained suggest caution in the use of Croton palanostigma sap by humans considering its risk of carcinogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Faculdade de Filosofia e Ciências, Departamento de Fonoaudiologia. Marília, SP 17525-900, Brazil. edson.maistro@marilia.unesp.br
authors.forename: Edson Luis
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Maistro
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ganthous
authors.forename: Marina da Silva
authors.initials: Mda S
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Tailyn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zermiani
authors.forename: Sérgio Faloni de
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Paulo Cesar Pires
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Rosa
authors.forename: Fabio Ferreira
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Perazzo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020552:Comet Assay; D029802:Croton; D004249:DNA Damage; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D009153:Mutagens; D010936:Plant Extracts; C525191:dragon's blood