title: Mutagenicity and antimutagenicity of six Brazilian Byrsonima species assessed by the Ames test.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In various regions of Brazil, several species of the genus Byrsonima (Malpighiaceae) are widely used to treat gastrointestinal complications. This genus has about 150 species of shrubs and trees distributed over the entire Neotropical region. Various biological activities have been identified in these plants, especially antioxidant, antimicrobial and topical and systemic anti-inflammatory activities. The aim of this study was to investigate the mutagenicity and antimutagenicity of hydroalcoholic leaf extracts of six species of Byrsonima: B. verbascifolia, B. correifolia, B. coccolobifolia, B. ligustrifolia, B. fagifolia and B. intermedia by the Salmonella microsome assay (Ames test).
  
  
  METHODS
  Mutagenic and antimutagenic activity was assessed by the Ames test, with the Salmonella typhimurium tester strains TA100, TA98, TA97a and TA102, with (+S9) and without (-S9) metabolization, by the preincubation method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only B. coccolobifolia and B. ligustrifolia showed mutagenic activity. However, the extracts of B. verbascifolia, B. correifolia, B. fagifolia and B. intermedia were found to be strongly antimutagenic against at least one of the mutagens tested.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results contribute to valuable data on the safe use of medicinal plants and their potential chemopreventive effects. Considering the excellent antimutagenic activities extracted from B. verbascifolia, B. correifolia, B. fagifolia and B. intermedia, these extracts are good candidate sources of chemopreventive agents. However, B. coccolobifolia and B. ligustrifolia showed mutagenic activity, suggesting caution in their use.
authors.forename: Lívia Greghi
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Espanha
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Araraquara, UNESP- São Paulo State University, Rodovia Araraquara-Jaú, km 1, 14801-902 Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil. flaviabiomed@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Flávia Aparecida
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Resende
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Sousa Lima Neto
authors.forename: Paula Karina
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Boldrin
authors.forename: Catarine Haidê
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Nogueira
authors.forename: Mariana Santoro
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: de Camargo
authors.forename: Rone Aparecido
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: De Grandis
authors.forename: Lourdes Campaner
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.forename: Wagner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Vilegas
authors.forename: Eliana Aparecida
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Varanda
mesh_terms: D016587:Antimutagenic Agents / Q000032:analysis*; D001938:Brazil; D029581:Malpighiaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D009153:Mutagens / Q000032:analysis*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D010944:Plants; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry; D012475:Salmonella; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium
chemical_list: D016587:Antimutagenic Agents; D009153:Mutagens; D010936:Plant Extracts