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Evaluation Of Cytogenotoxic And Nutrient Composition Of Three Commonly Consumed Vegetables In South- Western Nigeria
Consumption of leafy vegetables provides health benefits but sometimes
may turn out to be the cause of certain health problems. Thus, adequate
toxicological screening is needed to ensure safety of their
consumption. Aqueous extracts of Corchorus olitorius L., Celosia
argentea L., and Ocimum gratissimum L. were evaluated for
cyto-genotoxic effects on Allium cepa L. root cells using 0.5, 1.0,
2.5, 5.0, 10.0, 25.0 and 50.0 part per thousand (ppt), each of the
vegetable extracts. The levels of macronutrients (moisture, ash,
protein, fibre, fat and carbohydrate) in the vegetables and some
minerals (cadmium, copper, iron, lead, magnesium, nickel and zinc) of
their aqueous extracts were determined. The carbohydrate values were in
the order O. gratissimum > C. olitorius > C. argentea with 48.17%
as the highest. The values obtained for ash, protein, fat, Mg and Zn
contents were in the order C. argentea > C. olitorius > O.
gratissimum , with the highest values of 19.98%, 30.79%,, 0.22% , 226.4
mg/L and 2.57mg/L, respectively obtained for C. argentea. The
concentration of Cu and Pb were in the order of O.gratissium > C.
argentea> C. olitorius with 0.67 and 0.21mg/L obtained for
O.gratissium (P<0.05). The aqueous extracts of the three vegetables
inhibited root growth and cell division in the A. cepa root tips, with
the highest inhibitory effects observed in C. argentea at 50.0 ppt.
Induced chromosomal aberrations were significant only at 1.0 and 25 ppt
of O. gratissimum, whereas there were no significant differences in
aberrant cells in C. olitorius and C. argentea compared to the control.
Chromosomal aberrations observed in the treated A. cepa roots include
c-mitosis, Chromosome bridge and sticky chromosome. The results showed
that the three vegetables have nutritive qualities but with root growth
and mitotic inhibitory activities, which were severe in C. argentea.
Although the result indicates that chromosomal aberrations might be
induced at higher concentrations, the antimitotic potential of the
extract of C. argentea may favour its uses in the development of drugs
to prevent the uncontrolled proliferation of cancer cells of which
investigation is required