title: Evaluation of the mutagenicity and genotoxicity of Arrabidaea chica Verlot (Bignoneaceae), an Amazon plant with medicinal properties.
abstract: Arrabidaea chica Verlot (Bignoniaceae) is an important folk medicine plant native to the Amazon region and used to treat anemia, hemorrhage, inflammation, intestinal colic, hepatitis, and skin affections. Although studies showed its therapeutic properties, little knowledge regarding genotoxic properties of this plant is available. The aim of this study was to determine the potential mutagenic and genotoxic/antigenotoxic effects of an A. chica chloroformic fraction (Ac-CF) obtained from leaves containing bioactive metabolites. The mutagenic effects were evaluated using the Salmonella mutagenicity assay, with TA98, TA97a, TA100, TA102, and TA1535 strains, with and without metabolic activation. In vivo mutagenic and genotoxic/antigenotoxic effects were investigated using the micronucleus (MN) test in bone marrow and alkaline comet assay in blood and liver after administration of 100, 500, or 1000 mg/kg Ac-CF in CF-1 mice by gavage (once a day for 3 d). In vitro antioxidant potential was evaluated using DPPH and xanthine/hypoxanthine assays. Ac-CF was not mutagenic in any of the Salmonella typhimurium strains tested and showed negative responses for mutagenicity and genotoxicity in mice. Further, Ac-CF displayed antigenotoxic effects by decreasing the oxidative DNA damage induced by hydrogen peroxide by greater than 50% in blood and liver. The antioxidant action detected in the in vitro assays demonstrated IC50 of 0.838 mg/ml in the xanthine/hypoxanthine assay and IC50 of 28.17 μg/ml in the DPPH assay. In conclusion, Ac-CF did not induce mutagenic and genotoxic effects and was able to protect DNA against oxidative damage in vivo, suggesting that this fraction may not pose genetic risks, although further toxicology assays are necessary.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Luterana do Brasil (ULBRA), Laboratório de Genética Toxicológica, Canoas, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vinícius Carlotto
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.forename: Thais Basso
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.forename: Ana Letícia Hilário
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Marc François
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.forename: Temenouga Nikolova
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Guecheva
authors.forename: João Antonio Pêgas
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Henriques
authors.forename: Alexandre de Barros Falcão
authors.initials: Ade B
authors.lastname: Ferraz
authors.forename: Jaqueline Nascimento
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Picada
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D029402:Bignoniaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D001711:Biotransformation; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D020552:Comet Assay; D004247:DNA / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000032:analysis; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D048629:Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective / Q000139:chemically induced; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D009153:Mutagens / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D009153:Mutagens; D010936:Plant Extracts; D004247:DNA