title: Protective effects of the antileishmanial extract of Tephrosia cinerea (L.) Pers. (Fabaceae) against cyclophosphamide-induced damage.
abstract: Tephrosia cinerea L. (Pers.) is a tropical species that exhibits antileishmanial activity in Leishmania amazonensis promastigote cultures and is commonly used to treat infections, inflammations, ulcers, nervous conditions, and diarrhea. However, no studies have investigated its effects on genetic material. Therefore, we evaluated the genotoxic potential, antigenotoxic potential, and cytotoxic effects of hydroalcoholic extracts of T. cinerea leaves. In an in vitro genotoxicity study, human peripheral blood leukocytes were treated for 3, 24 (comet assay), or 48 h (cell death assay) with 22, 44, or 88 μg/mL plant extract. In the in vivo assay, Swiss mice were treated with 500, 1000, or 2000 mg extract/kg body weight by intraperitoneal injection and were evaluated 24 h later. Antigenotoxicity was investigated in pre- and post-treatment assays in which the animals received the plant extract (2000 mg/kg) 24 h before or after receiving cyclophosphamide (50 mg/kg), respectively. The extract had no genotoxic effects in the in vitro or in vivo assays. However, the extract reduced apoptotic cell death and induced necrotic cell death at concentrations that presented leishmanicidal activity in vitro. The extract also had an antigenotoxic effect, reducing the levels of genomic damage that were caused by cyclophosphamide in Swiss mice by more than 80%.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brasil.
authors.forename: A C S
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brasil.
authors.forename: V R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brasil.
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brasil.
authors.forename: M I S
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Farmacognosia, Departamento de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brasil.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Bezerra
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Farmacognosia, Departamento de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brasil.
authors.forename: M N S
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunofisiologia, Departamento de Patologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brasil.
authors.forename: F R F
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brasil silmaregina@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: S R F
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Pereira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D020552:Comet Assay; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000633:toxicity*; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D031304:Tephrosia / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D009153:Mutagens; D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents; D003520:Cyclophosphamide