Radioprotective effect of chloropyllin, protoporphyrin-IX and bilirubin compared with amifostine® in Drosophila melanogaster.

The identification of substances that prevent or minimize the detrimental effects of ionizing radiation is an essential undertaking. The aim of this paper was to evaluate and compare the radioprotective potential of chlorophyllin, protoporphyrin and bilirubin, with amifostine®, an US Food & Drug Administration approved radioprotector Using the somatic mutation and recombination assay in the Drosophila melanogaster wing, it was found that pretreatment (1-9 h) with any of the porphyrins or amifostine® alone, did not affect the larva-adult viability or the basal frequency of mutation. However, they were associated with significant reductions in frequency of somatic mutation and recombination compared with the gamma-irradiated (20 Gy) control as follows: bilirubin (69.3 %)> chlorophyllin (40.0 %)> protoporphyrin (39.0 %)> amifostine® (19.7 %). Bilirubin also caused a 16 % increase in larva-adult viability with 3 h of pretreatment respect to percentage induced in 20 Gy control group. Whilst amifostine® was associated with lower genetic damage after pre-treatment of 1 and 3 h, this did not attain significance. These findings suggest that the tested porphyrins may have some potential as radioprotectant agents.

Evaluación de los efectos mutagénicos/antimutagénicos de Luehea divaricata en ratones / Evaluation of the mutagenic / antimutagenic effects of Luehea divaricata in mice

La Luehea divaricata Mart. conocida popularmente en el Paraguay como "ka´aovetî o ka´aovetîpytâ", es una planta nativa de la región utilizada como fitoterápico. El objetivo de este trabajo fue el de investigar el efecto protector del extracto acuoso de las hojas de L. divaricata frente al quimioterápico ciclofosfamida, en médula ósea de ratones. Los animales fueron divididos en 4 grupos de 5 animales cada uno; el Grupo I, control negativo, que recibió 200 µL de agua, vía oral; el Grupo II, que recibió 200 µL del extracto acuoso de L. divaricata; el Grupo III, que recibió 200 µL del extracto acuoso de L. divaricata y ciclofosfamida, 50 mg/Kg de peso de animal y el Grupo IV, fue el control positivo, recibió ciclofosfamida 50mg/Kg/peso de animal. El extracto acuoso de L. divaricata fue administrado por vía oral y el tratamiento se administró por 48h, la ciclofosfamida fue administrada por vía intraperitoneal 24h antes del sacrifico del animal .Se extrajo la médula ósea de los animales y se realizó el ensayo de micronúcleo en todas las muestras. Los resultados indicaron que el extracto acuoso de L. divaricata no presentó actividad mutagénica, cuando combinado con el agente mutagénico induce una reducción de hasta 49% en la frecuencia de micronúcleos, al ser comparado con el tratamiento con ciclofosfamida, sugiriendo un potencial efecto protector frente a agentes tóxicos.

The Luehea divaricata Mart. is a plant native, popularly known in Paraguay as "ovetîka'a”or “ovetîka'aPytá" of the region used as herbal medicines. The aim of this study was toinvestigate the protective effect of aqueous extract from the leaves of L. divaricata versuscyclophosphamide chemotherapy. The animals were divided in 4 groups and each grouphave 5 animals, Group I, negative control, which received 200 uL of water, orally; Group II,which received 200 uL of aqueous extract of L. divaricata; Group III, which received 200 uLof the aqueous extract of L. divaricata and cyclophosphamide, 50 mg / kg animal weight;Group IV, positive control, cyclophosphamide received 50mg / kg / animal weight. Theaqueous extract of L. divaricata was orally administered and the treatment wasadministered for 48 hs, cyclophosphamide was administered intraperitoneal and had 24hours of treatment. Bone marrow of the animals is removed and micronucleus assay wasperformed on all samples. The results indicated that aqueous extract of L. divaricata showedno mutagenic activity and when combined with the mutagen agent induces a reduction ofup to 41% in the frequency of micronucleus, when compared to treatment withcyclophosphamide, suggesting a potential protective effect against toxic agents.

Antimitotic and antimutagenic action of the Hymenaea stigonocarpa bark on dividing cells / Ação antimitótica e antimutagênica do ritidoma de Hymenaea stigonocarpa Mart ex Hayne na divisão celular

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the action of Hymenaea stigonocarpa bark hydroalcoholic extract against a mutagenic compound using A. cepa meristematic root cells as a test system. The treatment groups were: Negative Control (NC) – distilled water; Positive Control (PC) – paracetamol at a concentration of 0.008 mg/mL, Jatoba Control (JC) – aqueous fraction jatobá-do-cerrado at 0.5 or 1.0 or 1.5 mg/mL, and Simultaneous Treatment (ST) - jatobá-do-cerrado aqueous fraction at a concentration of 0.5 or 1.0 or 1.5 mg/mL associated with paracetamol solution at a concentration of 0.008 mg/mL. All groups were analyzed at 24 and 48 h. Five onion bulbs (five replications) were used for each treatment group. The root tips were fixed in Carnoy and slides prepared by the crush technique. Cells were analyzed throughout the cell cycle, totaling 5,000 for each treatment group at each exposure time. Mitotic indices were subjected to statistical analysis using the chi-square test (p<0.05). From the results it was found that the ST group, at the three concentrations, significantly potentiated the antiproliferative effect of the test system cells when compared to PC, NC and TJ at the three concentrations. Furthermore, the three ST concentrations significantly reduced the number of cell aberrations when compared to the number of aberrant cells obtained for the PC, demonstrating antimutagenic action on the A. cepa test system cells.

Resumo O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar a ação do extrato hidroalcólico do ritidoma de Hymenaea stigonocarpa frente a um composto mutagênico, utilizando como sistema teste as células meristemáticas de raízes de A. cepa. Os grupos tratamentos avaliados foram: Controle Negativo (CN) – água destilada; Controle Positivo (CP) – paracetamol na concentração de 0,008 mg/mL, Controle Jatobá (CJ) – fração aquosa de jatobá-do-cerrado na concentração de 0,5 ou 1,0 ou 1,5 mg/mL, e Tratamento Simultâneo (TS) – fração aquosa de jatobá-do-cerrado na concentração de 0,5 ou 1,0 ou 1,5 mg/mL associada a solução de paracetamol na concentração de 0,008 mg/mL. Todos os grupos foram analisados nos tempos de 24 e 48 h. Para cada grupo tratamento cinco bulbos de cebolas (cinco repetições) foram utilizados. As radículas foram fixadas em Carnoy e as lâminas preparadas pela técnica de esmagamento. Analisaram-se células em todo ciclo celular, totalizando 5.000 para cada grupo tratamento em cada tempo de exposição. Os índices mitóticos obtidos foram submetidos à análise estatística do Qui-quadrado (p<0,05). A partir dos resultados verificou-se que o grupo TS, nas três concentrações, potencializou o efeito antiproliferativo significativo as células do sistema teste quando comparado ao CP, CN e TJ nas três concentrações. Ainda, o TS nas três concentrações reduziu de forma significativa o número de aberrações celulares quando comparado com o número de células aberrantes obtidas para o CP, demonstrando ação antimutagênica as células do sistema teste A. cepa.

Active ingredients of ginger as potential candidates in the prevention and treatment of diseases via modulation of biological activities.

The current mode of treatment based on synthetic drugs is expensive and also causes genetic and metabolic alterations. However, safe and sound mode of treatment is needed to control the diseases development and progression. In this regards, medicinal plant and its constituents play an important role in diseases management via modulation of biological activities. Ginger, the rhizome of the Zingiber officinale, has shown therapeutic role in the health management since ancient time and considered as potential chemopreventive agent. Numerous studies based on clinical trials and animal model has shown that ginger and its constituents shows significant role in the prevention of diseases via modulation of genetic and metabolic activities. In this review, we focused on the therapeutics effects of ginger and its constituents in the diseases management, and its impact on genetic and metabolic activities.