title: Inhibitory effects of neem seed oil and its extract on various direct acting and activation-dependant mutagens-induced bacterial mutagenesis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Azadirachta indica A. Juss (Meliaceae), commonly called neem is a plant native to the Indian sub-continent. Neem oil extracted from the seeds of neem tree has shown promising medicinal properties.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the possible anti-mutagenic activity of neem seed oil (NO) and its dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) extract (NDE) on the mutagenicity induced by various direct acting and activation-dependant mutagens.
  
  
  METHODS
  The possible anti-mutagenic activity of NO (100-10,000 µg/plate) and NDE (0.1-1000 µg/plate) as well as the mechanism of anti-mutagenic activity was studied in an in vitro Ames Salmonella/microsome assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  NSO and NDE inhibited the mutagenic activity of methyl glyoxal (MG), in which case the extent of inhibition ranged from 65 to 77% and against 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide (NQNO); it showed a 48-87% inhibition in the non-toxic doses. Similar response of NSO and NDE was seen against the activation-dependant mutagens aflatoxin B1 (AFB1, 48-88%), benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P, 31-85%), cyclophosphamide (CP, 66-71%), 20-methylcholanthrane (20-MC, 37-83%) and acridine orange (AO, 39-72%) in the non-toxic doses. Mechanism-based studies indicated that NDE exhibits better anti-mutagenic activity in the pre- and simultaneous-treatment protocol against MG, suggesting that one or several active phytochemicals present in the extract covalently bind with the mutagen and prevent its interaction with the genome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings demonstrate that neem oil is capable of attenuating the mutagenic activity of various direct acting and activation-dependant mutagens.
authors.affiliation: Mirobiology Division, Defence Research and Development Establishment , Gwalior , India and.
authors.forename: Vinod
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vijayan
authors.forename: Pramod Kumar
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Tiwari
authors.forename: Ghansham Pundilikji
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Meshram
mesh_terms: D016587:Antimutagenic Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D031601:Azadirachta / Q000737:chemistry*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D016587:Antimutagenic Agents; D009153:Mutagens; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010938:Plant Oils