Assessment of genotoxic, cytotoxic, and protective effects of Salacia crassifolia (Mart. Ex. Schult.) G. Don. stem bark fractions in mice

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Salacia crassifolia (Mart. Ex. Schult.) G. Don., popularly known in Brazil as "bacupari", "cascudo", and "saputá", is a shrub of the Celastraceae family that is unique to the Brazilian Cerrado region. In folk medicine, this plant has been mainly used to treat skin cancer and gastric ulcers. In the present study, the genotoxic, cytotoxic, antigenotoxic, and anticytotoxic effects of S. crassifolia stem bark fractions (hexane, ethyl acetate, and hydroalcoholic extracts) were evaluated using the mouse bone marrow micronucleus test. Our results showed that none of the S. crassifolia fractions led to a significant increase in the frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MNPCE) (P > 0.05), suggesting the absence of genotoxicity. In the antigenotoxicity assessment, a significant decrease in the MNPCE frequency was observed in all fractions of this plant (P < 0.05), demonstrating its protective action against genotoxicity induced by mitomycin C (MMC), which was used as the positive control. Only the hexane fraction of S. crassifolia significantly decreased the poly-and normochromatic erythrocyte ratio (PCE/NCE) in all doses tested (P < 0.05), demonstrating its cytotoxic activity. In association with MMC, both ethyl acetate and hydroalcoholic fractions significantly increased the PCE/NCE ratio in almost all doses tested (P < 0.05), demonstrating the protective action of S. crassifolia against the cytotoxic effect of the positive control. In contrast, the hexane fraction presented a significant decrease in the PCE/NCE ratio in all treatments (P < 0.05), demonstrating an increase in this plant's cytotoxicity in mouse bone marrow cells.

Cytotoxic Triterpenes from Salacia crassifolia and Metabolite Profiling of Celastraceae Species

“…The only two extracts that met the criteria for NCI-60 dose response testing were from the roots of S. elliptica and S. crassifolia , where 2 is more abundant, reinforcing that 2 is the predominant active compound in the extracts. Carneiro et al [ 20 ] showed that the methanolic extract of S. crassifolia stem bark had no in vivo cytotoxic activity. In a similar finding from our study, the ethanolic extract of S. crassifolia stem bark was not active in any of the eight cancer cell lines in preliminary HTS.…”

Mutagenicity and antimutagenicity of Salacia crassifolia (mart. Ex. Schult.) G. Don. evaluated by Ames test

“…On the other hand, the greatest antimutagenic effect found in the present study was observed in HE. This fact was not unexpected, because in previous studies using the same fractions of S. crassifolia, the cytotoxic, antitumor and antigenotoxic activities of this plant were more pronounced in treatments with HE (Oliveira et al, 2012;Carneiro et al, 2013).…”

“…Recently, using the micronucleus test in mice bone marrow, our research team revealed that the three fractions of S. crassifolia studied in the present work (HE, EA and HA), did not cause significant increase in the frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes compared to the solvent control group (Carneiro et al, 2013). Flammang et al (2006) and Ribeiro et al (2009) also did not found any statistically significant induction in micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes of mice bone marrow treated with root extract of S. oblonga and bark extract of Austroplenckia populnea (Reiss) Lundell (Celastraceae), respectively.…”

“…Recently, using the micronucleus test in mice, our research team demonstrated absence of genotoxic activity for three S. crassifolia stem bark fractions (hexane, ethyl acetate and hydroalcoholic), which also showed antigenotoxic effect. In the same study, only one fraction presented cytotoxic activity (hexane), and the others presented anticytotoxic activity (Carneiro et al, 2013). However, more studies with S. crassifolia must be performed to evidence its effectiveness and the possible risks associated to its intake.…”

PHYTOCHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF CONSTITUENTS FROM ROOTS OF Salacia crassifolia (CELASTRACEAE)

“…10,11 In Brazil, S. crassifolia is popularly known as "Bacuparido-Cerrado" and it is traditionally used for the treatment of kidney problems, cough, headache, and also as healing agent for malaria. 12 Studies of Salacia species led to the isolation of friedelane, oleanane, ursane, quinonemethide and lupane triterpenes. As an example, the phytochemical study of S. impressifolia led to the isolation of fifteen compounds including six of the quinonemethide series (tingenone, pristimerin, 30-hydroxypristimerin, isoiguesterine, 22-hydroxytingenone and netzahualcoyonol), two with friedelane skeleton (regeol A and friedelin), four lupane PCTT (lupeol, salicillin, 2-oxo-20 (29)lupen-3β-ol, 2β,3β-dihydroxylup-20(29)ene), one oleanane and one ursane PCTT (mixture of α and β-amyrin), and one steroid (β-sitosterol).…”