title: Assessment of the genotoxic and mutagenic properties of Himatanthus articulatus bark extracts used as phytotherapeutic drug in the Amazon.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Himatanthus articulatus (Apocynaceae) is a plant native to the Amazon, popularly used to treat external ulcers, tumors, inflammations, cancer, syphilis and malaria.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the in vivo genotoxic and mutagenic potential of this plant, using the comet assay and the micronucleus test.
  
  
  METHODS
  Female and male adult mice were treated with 500 mg/kg, 1000 mg/kg or 2000 mg/kg of Himatanthus articulatus aqueous or ethanolic bark extracts by gavage for two consecutive days. In addition, blood slides were exposed to hydrogen peroxide (ex vivo) to evaluate the anticlastogenic effect using the comet assay. The HPLC analyses indicated plumieride as the main constituent of both extracts from Himatanthus articulatus barks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No differences between genders were observed. Micronuclei were observed only in the group treated with the highest dose of both extracts. Conversely, lower doses of these extracts showed protective effects to DNA against damage induced by hydrogen peroxide, indicating an important antigenotoxic effect.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The toxicological evaluation indicated that the extracts are non-genotoxic and reduce the clastogenic damage induced by hydrogen peroxide. In part, this result can be atributted to the phytochemical profile of Himatanthus articulatus, which presents iridoids and phenolic compounds.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular Aplicada à Saúde, Universidade Luterana do Brasil (ULBRA), Canoas, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sebastião de O
authors.initials: Sde O
authors.lastname: Rebouças
authors.forename: Juliana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Ricardo S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Bertoni
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Decker
authors.forename: Marcela Silva Dos
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Raíssa R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Rossatto
authors.forename: Dione S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Corrêa
authors.forename: Alexandre B F
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Ferraz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D029062:Apocynaceae; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D020552:Comet Assay; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D005663:Furans / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D051379:Mice; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D024301:Plant Bark / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry; D013020:South America; D013141:Spiro Compounds / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D013634:Tannins / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids; D005663:Furans; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012997:Solvents; D013141:Spiro Compounds; D013634:Tannins; D014867:Water; D000431:Ethanol; C110080:plumieride