Genoprotective, antimutagenic, and antioxidant effects of methanolic leaf extract of Rhamnus alaternus L. from the Bissa mountains in Algeria

Abstract

Rhamnus alaternus L. is a Rhamnaceae shrub and a popular traditional medicine in Algeria. The present research objective was to investigate the antioxidant, genotoxic, and antigenotoxic properties of R. alaternus methanolic leaf extract. 
 Antiradical scavenging activity was tested by α, α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging and β-carotene bleaching method. DNA damage and repair were measured by the Allium cepa test with sodium azide as a mutagenic agent. Mitotic index and chromosomal aberrations were calculated by microscopy of meristem roots stained with 2% carmine acetic. 
 The methanolic extract of R. alaternus leaves inhibited the free radical DPPH (IC50 = 0.74 ± 0.3 mg/mL) and prevented the oxidation of β-carotene (50.71 ± 4.17%). The root phenotyping showed that sodium azide changed their color and shape, decreased their stiffness, and significantly reduced their length. The roots treated with both R. alaternus leaf extract and sodium azide demonstrated a better root growth. The roots treated with the methanolic extract were much longer than the control roots (P < 0.001). The microscopy images of root meristem treated with the sodium azide mitodepressant agent showed significant chromosomal aberrations, which indicated a disruption of the cell cycle. 
 The R. alaternus leaf extract appeared to have a beneficial effect on cytotoxicity. The antioxidant properties of R. alaternus L. makes this plant an excellent genoportector.

Triterpenoid and Steroid Content of Lipophilic Extracts of Selected Medicinal Plants of the Mediterranean Region

“…R. alaternus , as other representatives of the genus Rhamnus [ 56 ], is known to be rich in phenolic compounds, such as flavonoids, coumarins, tannins, anthraquinones and naphthalenes, that are considered responsible for antioxidant, antihyperlipidemic, antigenotoxic, antimutagenic, antimicrobial, and antiproliferative properties [ 29 , 30 ]. The analyzed contents of steroids and triterpenoids in R. alaternus leaves were not high; however, the triterpenoid profile was rather specific, consisting mainly of the neutral triterpenoids, including three alcohols: germanicol, and α- and β-amyrins.…”

“…Rhamnus alaternus L. (Rhamnaceae) is a small shrub (known under many local names in North Africa, e.g., Imlilesse, Oud El-khir, Safir; or Meliles in Berber language), used in traditional medicine for its gastric, diuretic, hepatoprotective, hypotensive, antioxidant antimutagenic effects. Extracts from various parts of R. alaternus (i.e., roots, bark, berries, leaves) are applied to treat a large number of disorders, including diabetes, hepatitis, dermatological and goiter problems [ 29 , 30 ].…”