title: Antimutagenic properties of affinin isolated from Heliopsis longipes extract.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Heliopsis longipes (A. Gray) Blake (Asteraceae), commonly known in Mexico as "chilcuage" or "chilcuan", is widely used as an analgesic and anesthetic agent. Affinin, the major metabolite of this plant, and the ethanol extract of the plant have shown antinociceptive properties in mice. H. longipes plant produces a complex mixture of antioxidant chlorophylls and polyamines as well as a number of possible antimutagens.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The current study evaluated the potential utilization of the natural product affinin isolated from H. longipes ethanol extract as an antimutagenic and possibly anticarcinogenic agent.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Ames assay was used to assess the mutagenic properties of affinin (12.5, 25 and 50 µg/plate) that was added to several mutagens with or without S9 metabolic activation in Salmonella typhimurium (TA98, TA100 and TA102 strains).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Heliopsis longipes extract and affinin were not toxic as a reduction in the number of His⁺ revertant bacteria colonies. Affinin (25 and 50 µg/plate) significantly reduced the frameshift mutations that were generated by 2-aminoanthracene (2AA) (40%) and reduced the oxidative DNA damage generated by norfloxacin (NOR) (37-50%). Affinin possessed antioxidant properties that were able to reduce 2AA- and NOR-induced mutations in S. typhimurium TA98 and TA102, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Affinin, the principal metabolite of H. longipes, is not mutagenic and possesses antimutagenic activity. These plants are currently used to treat some pain symptoms in Mexico; and antimutagen activity determined could be important to treat some pain symptoms related to antiradical activity.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Investigación en Microbiología, Dirección de Investigación y Enseñanza, Hospital Juárez de México, Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional, 5160 México D.F., México.
authors.forename: Myriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arriaga-Alba
authors.forename: María Yolanda
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Rios
authors.forename: Myrna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Déciga-Campos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016587:Antimutagenic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D019659:Asteraceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008800:Mexico; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D009643:Norfloxacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D016587:Antimutagenic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; C489347:N-isobutyl-2E-decenamide; D010936:Plant Extracts; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D009643:Norfloxacin