Herbal medicine against genotoxicity of dimethoate, an insecticide, in mammalian somatic cells.

In this study, the genotoxic effects of dimethoate (DIM) were investigated with the in vitro micronucleus test in human peripheral lymphocytes. The ethanol extracts of Rosa canina and Salvia lavandulifolia were used to remove possible genotoxic effects of these substances. For this purpose, different concentrations (0.5-1-2 µg/mL) of dimethoate, DIM + RCeta and DIM + SLeta (1:1 v/v) application groups were prepared and applied to the blood culture. The obtained data were compared with the negative control group that was prepared with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as solvent and a well-known genotoxic effects of ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) as positive control group. It was observed in lymphocyte cells that the frequency of MN considerably increased depending on the increasing dose of DIM whereas the nuclear division index (NBI)decreased according to the control group, especially in the last concentration (2 µg/mL). But, as the MN frequency decreased, NBI values approached to control group with 2µg/mL DIM + RCeta and 2µg/mL DIM + SLeta according to DIM application group (P < 0.05). Additionally, RCeta and SLeta were analyzed by gas chromotography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

The relationship of micronucleus frequency and nuclear division index with coronary artery disease SYNTAX and Gensini scores.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the relationship of micronucleus (MN) frequency and nuclear division index (NDI) with SYNTAX and Gensini scores and thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) frame counts of coronary arteries in patients undergoing coronary angiography. METHODS: In a single-center prospective observational study, a total of 63 individuals, 48 consecutive patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and 15 healthy people were included. Before coronary angiography (exposure to X-ray), blood samples were collected for lymphocyte cultures, MN and NDI measurements. According to the SYNTAX and Gensini scores, patients were allocated into two groups. Group 1 and 2 included the patients with SYNTAX scores <22 and ≥22 points, respectively. Similarly, groups according to Gensini scores included the ones <23 and ≥23 points. MN test was used for in vitro studies in human peripheral lymphocytes. Binucleated lymphocytes were calculated for each patient. RESULTS: MN frequency was significantly higher in group 2 than group 1 and in group 1 than control group (p<0.001). NDI was significantly higher in control group than group 1 and in group 1 than group 2 (p=0.003). MN frequency had positive but moderate correlation with SYNTAX and Gensini scores and TFCs of left anterior descending (LAD), circumflex and right coronary arteries (r=0.394, p=0.003; r=0.458, p<0.001; r=0.425, p<0.001; r=0.469, p<0.001; and r=0.475, p<0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: We can conclude that as the degree of atherosclerosis increases and coronary flow worsens, MN frequency increases and NDI decreases. Our results may help to elucidate the relationship of DNA damage in pathophysiology of atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction in patients with stable CAD.

Protective effects of coenzyme Q10 and resveratrol on oxidative stress induced by various dioxins on transheterozigot larvae of Drosophila melanogaster.

Dioxin and dioxin-like compounds are known as a class of highly toxic and persistent environmental contaminants threatening human and animal health. In the present study, the protective effects of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and Resveratrol (RSV) against 2,3,7,8-TCDD, 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD, 1,2,3,7,8,9-HxCDD, and 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9-OCDD induced acute toxicity and measurement of oxidative stress were studied. Lethal doses of these chemicals were determined. Transheterozigot larvae of Drosophila melanogaster were treated using either dioxins (10 × 10-7 µg mL-1) or dioxins + CoQ10 (10 × 10-7 µg mL-1 + 150 µg mL-1) and dioxins + RSV (10 × 10-7 µg mL-1 + 100 µM). After dioxin treatment, antioxidant combination therapy with dioxins and CoQ10 or dioxins and RSV resulted in indicators of acute toxicity including a decrease in total oxidant status as compared to dioxins alone (p < 0.05). The combination treatment also produced a significant increase in total antioxidant status as compared to dioxins only (p < 0.05). Results indicate a potential role of dioxins for oxidative stress with acute toxicity and the protective performance of CoQ10 and RSV in the overall toxicity of dioxins including measuring oxidative stress.

Evaluation of maternal and embryotoxic effects following the treatment of chloral hydrate in Drosophila melanogaster.

Chloral hydrate (CH) is commonly used as a sedative and a hypnotic in pediatric medicine. In this study, the effects of CH on various developmental stages of Drosophila melanogaster were investigated. Different concentrations of CH (0.1; 0.3; 0.5 and 1 mg/mL) were used during development of the flies. Maternal toxicity due to increasing the concentration of CH was observed as a large number of adult flies died. When the F1 progeny of the control and application groups were compared, CH was found to extend the process of metamorphosis and to decrease the total number of offspring. The embryotoxic effects on the offspring and an increase in the number of malformed offspring was identified as depending on feeding. It was found that the difference between the groups was significantly important (p < 0.05).

The use of endemic Iranian plant, Echium amoenum, against the ethyl methanesulfonate and the recovery of mutagenic effects.

In this study, potential genotoxic effects of ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) that caused mutagenicity in a variety of organisms were tried to resolve by the methanol and chloroform extract of Echium amoenum (EAmet and EAchl) Fisch. & C.A. Mey. from the family of Boraginaceae, which is an endemic plant, and is used as an alternative treatment among public in Iran. Somatic mutation and recombination test with Drosophila wing was used to determine the genotoxic and antigenotoxic effects in our investigations. For this purpose, 3-day-old transheterozygous larvae of mwh/flr(3) genotype of Drosophila melanogaster were used in all our experiments. The larvae were fed chronically on the Drosophila instant medium (DIM) including 1 ppm EMS. However, in another application group, different concentrations (1, 2 and 4 ppm) of EAmet and EAchl were added to DIM including 1 ppm EMS (EMS + EAmet and EMS + EAchl). Then, for the matured individuals, wing preparates were prepared within the mediums that include control group that has only DIM, negative control group that contains dimethyl sulfoxide and application groups in different concentrations that contain EMS, EMS + EAmet and EMS + EAchl. Clone induction frequency for the normal wing phenotype of EMS application group was observed to be 2.00. In the EMS + EAmet application group, the value of 1 ppm EAmet is 1.49, value of 2 ppm EAmet is 1.08 and value of 4 ppm EAmet is 0.72; in the EMS + EAchl application group, the value of 1 ppm is EAchl 1.33, value of 2 ppm EAchl is 0.67 and value of 4 ppm EAchl is 0.56 were determined. This decrease observed between EMS and all application groups in terms of total induction frequency is statistically significant (p < 0.05). These results concluded that chloroform extracts were more effective than the methanol extracts of E. amoenum.

Assessment of genotoxic potential of two mycotoxins in the wing spot test of Drosophila melanogaster.

Mycotoxins, the toxic products of molds, exposure causes serious adverse health problems in human, animals, and crops. Determining the potential genotoxic effects of these substances is, therefore, of great importance. We have evaluated the genotoxic toxicity of two trichothecenes--diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS) and T-2 toxin--using the wing somatic mutation and recombination test (SMART) in Drosophila melanogaster. The SMART is based on the principle that the loss of heterozygosis of recessive markers located on the left arm of chromosome 3--multiple wing hairs (mwh) at the map position 0.3 and flare-3 (flr3) at the map position 38.8--may occur through various mechanisms such as mitotic recombination, mutation, deletion, half-translocation, chromosome loss, and nondisjunction. Both the mycotoxins were administered to third instar larvae (72 ± 4 h old) at concentrations ranging from 5 to 40 µM. Based on our results, DAS and T-2 toxins does not exert genotoxic effects up to a concentration of 40 µM.

The hazardous effects of three natural food dyes on developmental stages and longevity of Drosophila melanogaster.

Nowadays, food dyes obtained from herbal, animal, microbial and mineral sources are widely used as food additives. In this study, the toxic effects of three different natural food dyes (carmine, turmeric and annatto) on 72 ± 4 h larvae of Oregon-R wild type of Drosophila melanogaster were investigated. For this purpose, four different application doses (50, 75, 100, 125 mg mL(-1)) were chosen by means of preliminary studies. It was determined that larval mortality increased with increasing concentration in the application groups and the toxicity order was carmine > turmeric > annatto. It was observed that the survival rate was highest in the control with 98% and lowest in 125 mg mL(-1) carmine with 16%. In addition, the average lifespan of the adult individuals obtained from third instar larvae was also studied. While the average lifespan was 40.88 ± 1.44 days in the control group, these values were 10.81 ± 0.55-23.90 ± 1.27 days in the carmine group, 15.00 ± 0.80-22.42 ± 1.43 days in the turmeric group and 10.33 ± 1.03-35.68 ± 1.54 days in the annatto group, respectively. According to the obtained results, when both the developmental period from larvae into adults and the lifespan of the developing adults were compared with the control group, the food dyes were found to be toxic and the toxicity order of carmine > turmeric > annatto was identified.

Mutagenic biomonitoring of pirethroid insecticides in human lymphocyte cultures: use of micronuclei as biomarkers and recovery by Rosa canina extracts of mutagenic effects.

CONTEXT: Insecticides are used to control pests. Cypermethrin and fenvalerate are widely used pirethroid insecticides in the world. Rosa canina L. (Rosaceae) is used as a traditional medicinal plant against viral infections and disorders of the kidneys and urinary tract due to its high vitamin C level. OBJECTIVE: The genotoxic effects of cypermethrin and fenvalerate were examined with the micronucleus (MN) test. Then, we determined the ability of the water (RC(wtr)) and ethanol (RC(eta)) extracts of rosehip (R. canina) to overcome the possible genotoxic effects of the insecticides. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Preliminary studies determined that the application concentrations were 20, 30, 40, and 50 ppm for cypermethrin, 25, 50, 75, and 100 ppm for fenvalerate, and 100 ppm for rosehip extracts. DMSO (dimethyl sulphoxide) (1%) and 1 mM EMS (ethyl methanesulfonate) were used as negative and positive control groups, respectively. The application groups belonging to insecticides and plant extracts were added to culture tubes including chromosome B medium and peripheral blood for MN test. RESULTS: The MN frequencies were found 0.725 in the negative control group, 2.700 in the positive control groups, 1.275 in the highest application group of cypermethrin, and 1.600 in the highest application group of fenvalerate. The MN frequencies in cypermethrin + RC(wtr), cypermethrin + RC(eta), fenvalerate + RC(wtr), and fenvalerate + RC(eta) application groups were, respectively, determined as 1.000, 1.075, 1.225, and 1.275. CONCLUSION: According to the results, cypermethrin and fenvalerate have genotoxic effects, the water and ethanol extracts of rosehip reduced the genotoxicity of the both insecticides.

Determination of the effects of genistein on the longevity of Drosophila melanogaster meigen (Diptera; Drosophilidae).

In this study, the effects of genistein on the longevity of Drosophila melanogaster were investigated. The effects of different concentrations of genistein (1, 3, 5 and 10 µM/100 mL medium) were separately administered one by one to female and male populations of D. melanogaster for application groups. In the control group, the maximum life span was determined to be 57 days for ♀♀, 46 for ♂♂. The maximum life span for the lowest (1.0 µL) and highest (10.0 µL) application groups among the adult populations of D. melanogaster subjected to genistein were observed to be 54, 50, 40 and 36 days for ♀♀ and 51, 48, 40 and 33 days for ♂♂. These values indicate a negative correlation (R = 0.513 for ♂♂ and R = 0.509 for ♀♀) between the maximum life span of the application groups and changing genistein concentrations.

Extended longevity of Drosophila melanogaster by water and ethanol extracts of Stachys lavandulifolia.

CONTEXT: Stachyss species have been used as a medicine for centuries throughout the world. Stachys lavandulifolia Vahl. var. lavandulifolia (Lamiaceae) is of interest to researchers because the constituents such as betulinic acid, oleanolic acid, rosmarinic acid, and ursolic acid are similar to other Stachys species commonly used as an alterative in medicinal preparations. OBJECTIVE: The present study investigated the effects of water extract (SLE(w)) and ethanol extract (SLE(e)) obtained from S. lavandulifolia (SLE) on the longevity of Drosophila melanogaster Meigen. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effects of different concentrations of SLE (Control+DMSO; 4.0; 12.0 and 20.0 µL/100 mL medium) were administered separately to female and male populations of D. melanogaster for control and SLE groups. RESULTS: In all application groups, each population's longevity increased, depending on the concentration of SLE. The mean life-span of the extract groups which are applied with SLE((w)) was determined to be shorter than the extract groups which are applied with SLE((e)). For example, the maximum mean life-span applied with SLE((w)) increased from 31.86 ± 0.92 days to 43.21 ± 1.33 days and the maximum mean life-span applied with SLE((e)) increased from 31.86 ± 0.92 days to 49.62 ± 1.62 days in females. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate that the constituents of S. lavandulifolia have great potential as a source for natural health products for D. melanogaster management.

Recovering effects of aqueous extracts of some selected medical plants on the teratogenic effects during the development of D. melanogaster.

In this study the effects of some selected medical plants (Pimpinella anisum L., Rosmarinus officinalis L., Achillea millefolium L., Acorus calamus L., Hypericum perforatum L.) on the development of Drosophila melanogaster have been investigated. When the different concentration of plant extracts were applied to the cultures of Drosophila melanogaster, they did not caused an elongation of metamorphosis of F1 progeny. Furthermore, depending on an increase of plant extract on the application groups, the number of offsprings increased. But this increasing (for application groups no. I, II and IV) was not statistically significant (p > 0.05) according to control group. The highest increase in the total number of offspring of F1 progeny obtained from applications of Acorus calamus extracts and the 10 mL/100 mL medium concentration of the extract of Hypericum perforatum.

Selenium protective activity against aflatoxin B1 adverse affects on Drosophila melanogaster

O objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar os efeitos da AFB1 e AFB1 + Se 4 em vários estágios de desenvolvimento da Drosophila melanogaster. Ambos diferentes concentrações da ABF1 e Se4+ aplicado com AFB1 foram alimentados durante a fase de desenvolvimento da mosca (ovo, larva e pulpa). Quando a progenese F1 do controle e aplicações foram comparadas com outros grupos, ABF1 ampliou o processo de metamórfose e na redução do número total de ovos. Porém esses efeitos negativos foram inibidos com o tratamento com selênio em diferentes concentrações (4.0 e 8.0 ppm). Esses resultados sugerem que o selênio pode efetivamente inibir AFB1 que induz anomalias nos estágios do desenvolvimento da Drosophila melanogaster.

Effect of single cell protein as a protein source in Drosophila culture

The effects of biomass of Phanerochaete chrysosporium at various concentrations (1; 2.5; 5; 10; 25; 50; 75 and 100 percent) on the growth of Drosophila melanogaster have been investigated. Biomass was used as a protein source instead of corn flour in Standard Drosophila Medium (SDM). It was seen that it causes increments in both body size of larvae and the numbers of offsprings, specially at higher concentrations (50, 75 and 100 percent) at the application of 100 percent concentration, metamorphosis accelerated and was completed one day before the control. There were phenotypic abnormalities in both control (0.64 percent) and applications with low concentrations (0.02-0.19 percent), while they were not observed at the application of 100 percent concentration.