Evaluation of antimutagenic and desmutagenic effects of humic and fulvic acids on root tips ofVicia faba

Abstract

Humic acids HA and fulvic acids FA of different origin were evaluated for their antimutagenic and/ or desmutagenic activity on Vicia faba germinating seeds treated with the mutagen ( ) compound maleic hydrazide MH . Both HA and FA were tested at two different concentrations, 20 and 200 mg L y1 , either alone or together with 10 mg L y1 of MH. Two experimental procedures were used to investigate the occurrence and nature of the antimutagenic or desmutagenic activity. In procedure 1, HA or FA and MH were interacted for 24 h and then added to the seeds. In procedure 2, the seeds were first treated with HA or FA for 6 days and then transferred to plates containing the MH solution, so that no interaction occurred between HA or FA and MH outside the seeds. The evaluation of the genotoxic activity was done by counting both micronuclei and aberrant anatelophases in root tip cells. Results obtained by using procedure 1 showed a clear desmutagenic action of HA and FA used at both concentrations, whereas results of procedure 2 indicated no antimutagenic effect of HA or FA. ᮊ 2000 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Environ Toxicol 15: 513᎐517, 2000

Protective role of humic acids against dicamba-induced genotoxicity and DNA methylation inPhaseolus vulgarisL.

“…Our results have shown that dicamba caused DNA hypomethylation. In recent years, several studies have been published indicating the protective effect of HAs against toxic element such as cadmium, zinc, mitomycin C, mercury and maleic hydrazide mercury in different animals and plants (De Marco et al 1999;Ferrara et al 2000Ferrara et al , 2006Hammock et al 2003;Koukal et al 2003;Voets et al 2004). The protective effects of HAs have been reported to be primarily associated with its presence in glutathione (GSH) biosynthesis, which are known to protect DNA and other cellular components from damage by oxygen radicals (Vaughan et al 1985;Concheri et al 1994;De Marco et al 1999).…”

“…Antimutagenic activity of soil humic extracts was studied mostly in Vicia faba test (Ferrara et al 2000(Ferrara et al , 2004. In addition HAs have shown to cause decreasing number of genetic anormalies in seedlings of Vicia faba, treated with various herbicides Ferrara et al 2000Ferrara et al , 2004. Ferrara et al (2004) have described that the anticlastogenic activity of HAs is a particular aspect of the general antimutagenic action and refers specifically to the reduction of chromosome breakages.…”

“…Also some authors have stated that biological activity and numerous biological functions of HAs are due to their peculiar structural features, which is a coexistence of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains in the same molecule (Ferrara et al 2006;Marova et al 2011). Previous studies have shown that HAs may have adverse toxicity such as cadmium, nicel, crom and zinc Moreover, naturally occurring HSs are recognised to inhibit the mutagenicity of some environmental mutagens in plant cells in vivo, as well as in mammalian cells in vitro (Ferrara et al 2000(Ferrara et al , 2006. Antimutagenic activity of soil humic extracts was studied mostly in Vicia faba test (Ferrara et al 2000(Ferrara et al , 2004.…”

“…Previous studies have shown that HAs may have adverse toxicity such as cadmium, nicel, crom and zinc Moreover, naturally occurring HSs are recognised to inhibit the mutagenicity of some environmental mutagens in plant cells in vivo, as well as in mammalian cells in vitro (Ferrara et al 2000(Ferrara et al , 2006. Antimutagenic activity of soil humic extracts was studied mostly in Vicia faba test (Ferrara et al 2000(Ferrara et al , 2004. In addition HAs have shown to cause decreasing number of genetic anormalies in seedlings of Vicia faba, treated with various herbicides Ferrara et al 2000Ferrara et al , 2004.…”

Medical drugs from humus matter: Focus on mumie

“…Biological and physicochemical properties of ions are changed dramatically as a result of complexation with humin substances [Senesi and Loffredo, 1999]. The adsorbing capacity of humic and fulvic acids for poisons and mutagen molecules may be a reason for the antitoxic and desmutagenic effects of these acids [Sato et al, 1987;Badaev et al, 1989;Ferrara et al, 2000].…”