Assessment of the genotoxic and mutagenic properties of Himatanthus articulatus bark extracts used as phytotherapeutic drug in the Amazon

AbstractEthnopharmacological relevanceHimatanthus articulatus (Apocynaceae) is a plant native to the Amazon, popularly used to treat external ulcers, tumors, inflammations, cancer, syphilis and malaria.Aim of the studyTo investigate the in vivo genotoxic and mutagenic potential of this plant, using the comet assay and the micronucleus test.Material and methodsFemale and male adult mice were treated with 500mg/kg, 1000mg/kg or 2000mg/kg of Himatanthus articulatus aqueous or ethanolic bark extracts by gavage for two consecutive days. In addition, blood slides were exposed to hydrogen peroxide (ex vivo) to evaluate the anticlastogenic effect using the comet assay. The HPLC analyses indicated plumieride as the main constituent of both extracts from Himatanthus articulatus barks.ResultsNo differences between genders were observed. Micronuclei were observed only in the group treated with the highest dose of both extracts. Conversely, lower doses of these extracts showed protective effects to DNA against damage induced by hydrogen peroxide, indicating an important antigenotoxic effect.ConclusionsThe toxicological evaluation indicated that the extracts are non-genotoxic and reduce the clastogenic damage induced by hydrogen peroxide. In part, this result can be atributted to the phytochemical profile of Himatanthus articulatus, which presents iridoids and phenolic compounds

Biotoxicological Analyses of Trimeroside from Baccharis trimera Using a Battery of In Vitro Test Systems

The use in folk medicine of Baccharis trimera and recent studies on DNA damage by oxidative stress mechanisms have motivated this study. We investigated the biotoxicological effects of trimeroside from this plant. Aqueous extract from aerial parts of B. trimera was fractioned by flash chromatography for further isolation by thin-layer chromatography. The novel nor-monoterpene glycoside, trimeroside, and three flavonoids, cirsimaritin, luteolin and quercetin, were isolated. The genotoxic and mutagenic potential of trimeroside was determined by Salmonella/microsome (TA98 and TA100), comet assay, and cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome assay (CBMN-cyt) in HepG2 cells. We also screened trimeroside into different human tumoral cell lines by sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. Mutagenicity was detected in TA100 strain with metabolic activation. Genotoxic effects were not observed in HepG2 by comet assay. However, a decrease in the nuclear index division in the 2.0 mg·mL−1 concentration and an increase of nucleoplasmic bridges in the 1.5 mg·mL−1 concentration were detected by CBMN-cyt assay indicating cytotoxic and mutagenic effects. In SRB assay, trimeroside showed weak antiproliferative activity against the cell lines