title: Genotoxic effect of Lythrum salicaria extract determined by the mussel micronucleus test.
abstract: A wide range of aquatic plants have been proven to release allelochemicals, of them phenolics and tannin are considered rather widely distributed. Tannins, however, have been demonstrated to have genotoxic capacity. In our study genotoxic potential of Lythrum salicaria L. (Purple Loosestrife, family Lythraceae) was assessed by the mussel micronucleus test, using Unio pictorum. In parallel, total and hydrolysable tannin contents were determined. Results clearly show that the extract had a high hydrolysable tannin content and significant mutagenic effect. As L. salicaria has been long used in traditional medicine for chronic diarrhoea, dysentery, leucorrhoea and blood-spitting, genotoxic potential of the plant should be evaluated not only with regard to potential effects in the aquatic ecosystem, but also assessing its safe use as a medicinal herb.
authors.affiliation: Department of Limnology, University of Pannonia , Egyetem út 10, H-8200 Veszprém , Hungary.
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Eck-Varanka
authors.affiliation: Department of Limnology, University of Pannonia , Egyetem út 10, H-8200 Veszprém , Hungary.
authors.forename: Nóra
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kováts
authors.affiliation: Department of Limnology, University of Pannonia , Egyetem út 10, H-8200 Veszprém , Hungary.
authors.forename: Katalin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hubai
authors.affiliation: Centre for Ecological Research, Balaton Limnological Institute, Hungarian Academy of Sciences , Klebelsberg K. út 3, H-8237 Tihany , Hungary.
authors.forename: Gábor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paulovits
authors.affiliation: Department of Aquacultre, Szent István University , Páter K. u. 1, H-2100 Gödöllő , Hungary.
authors.forename: Árpád
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Ferincz
authors.affiliation: Department of Limnology, University of Pannonia , Egyetem út 10, H-8200 Veszprém , Hungary.
authors.forename: Eszter
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Horváth
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000187:drug effects*; D031561:Lythrum / Q000737:chemistry*; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry; D013634:Tannins / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013634:Tannins
keywords: Lythrum salicaria; genotoxicity; micronucleus test; tannin