Genotoxic and Mutagenic Effects of Melissa officinalis (Erva Cidreira) Extracts

Alves, Ângelo Giuseppe Chaves; Vidal, L S; Küster, Ricardo Machado; Lage, Celso Luiz Salgueiro; Leitão, Álvaro C.

doi:10.2174/1874340400903010058

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…This assumption of safety and lack of side effects could prove to be potentially hazardous. The lack of available supporting safety data and the unregulated use of herbal products by the general population calls for studies to investigate their side effects and toxicity (41). Nonetheless, controlled studies on herbal plants are still lacking, and the risks associated with their consumption remain unknown.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The presence of phenolic compounds in M. officinalis, particularly caffeic acid derivatives, could be correlated to its apparent genotoxicity. The spectrum of mutations revealed a great trend for base substitutions, mainly in guanines and adenines (41). An ethanolic extract of M. officinalis also displayed antigenotoxic/ antimutagenic properties, and its use in pretreatment could reduce the induction of DNA damage by an alkylating agent (50).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Toxic potentials of ten herbs commonly used for aphrodisiac effect in Turkey

Asadi¹,

Nath²,

Özhan³

2015

Turk J Med Sci

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IntroductionSince ancient times, herbs have played an important role in the treatment of different diseases in many regions of world, largely for their expectorant, aphrodisiac, diuretic, diaphoretic, antispasmodic, stomachic, and sedative properties (1). The World Health Organization reported that 70%-80% of the global population relies on herbs for primary health care. In addition, because they are natural products, it is generally believed that herbs are essentially safe and free from side effects. Consequently, the consumption of nonprescription herbs has steadily increased over the past few decades (2).Despite the therapeutic advantages of herbs, reports have indicated the potential toxicity of some herbal components. Herbs contain a variety of chemical substances that act upon the body. In addition, the quality of herbs can be affected by toxic contaminants originating from industry, agriculture, and private households, including toxins that can cause mutagenic and carcinogenic effects from long-term and widespread use (3-6). Moreover, herbal medicines are generally a mixture of a number of herbs in a single preparation and contain several active ingredients that induce various pharmacological effects (7,8). To date, there are few scientific studies on the safety and potential toxicity of herbs, despite growing concerns over the lack of both scientific evidence and quality control data regarding the safety and efficacy of herbs (9,10).Sexual dysfunction is a condition that affects 15-30 million men worldwide, and it occurs in 10%-52% of men and 25%-63% of women (11,12). Many believe that sexual dysfunction is associated with the modern lifestyle. As a result, individuals turn to natural products, such as traditional herbs, that produce aphrodisiac effects for sexual enhancement. Aphrodisiac herbs are used to treat sexual dysfunction because they alter specific neurotransmitters or sex hormones. Specifically, herbs with aphrodisiac properties can induce vasodilatation that results in a sustained erection, and can cause irritation of genital mucosa that enhances sensory experience during coitus (13).Background/aim: Sexual dysfunction is a serious problem worldwide. In Turkey, herbal products are used by some people suffering from sexual dysfunction. Despite their therapeutic advantages, some constituents of herbs are potentially toxic and pose health risks because they can be bought from the market without a prescription. Therefore, we aimed to determine the safety of herbs possessing aphrodisiac effects, chosen on the basis of their frequency of medicinal use and commercial importance in Turkey. Materials and methods:Ten herbs (Anethum graveolens, Carthamus tinctorius, Citrus aurantium, Cocos nucifera, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Melissa officinalis, Nigella arvensis, Pinus pinea, Prunus mahaleb, and Zingiber officinale) were extracted with water, methanol, and chloroform. The cyto-and genotoxic potentials of the extracts were assessed using an MTT test on a rat kidney cell line and an Ames assay in Salmonella typhi...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Toxic potentials of ten herbs commonly used for aphrodisiac effect in Turkey

Asadi¹,

Nath²,

Özhan³

2015

Turk J Med Sci

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“…The FEEDAP Panel does not follow this hypothesis, because caffeic acid was not proven to be mutagenic in S. Typhimurium, in contrast to quercetin, and some related flavonoids, which induce frameshift mutations in the strain TA98. Alves et al (2009) investigated an aqueous lyophilised extract of M. officinalis L. leaves in a set of bacterial genotoxicity tests (Lysogenic induction assay in E. coli, SOS-chromotest), and mutagenesis assays (tryptophan mutagenesis assay in E. coli, Lactose mutagenesis assay and Salmonella mutagenesis assay). The extract represented 11% of the original leaf material and a qualitative analysis by HPLC indicated the presence of caffeic acid and flavonol derivatives.…”

Section: In Vitro Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Alves et al. () investigated an aqueous lyophilised extract of M. officinalis L. leaves in a set of bacterial genotoxicity tests (Lysogenic induction assay in E. coli , SOS‐chromotest), and mutagenesis assays (tryptophan mutagenesis assay in E. coli , Lactose mutagenesis assay and Salmonella mutagenesis assay). The extract represented 11% of the original leaf material and a qualitative analysis by HPLC indicated the presence of caffeic acid and flavonol derivatives.…”

Section: Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Safety and efficacy of a dried aqueous ethanol extract of Melissa officinalis L. leaves when used as a sensory additive for all animal species

Additives¹,

Bampidis²,

Azimonti³

et al. 2020

EFS2

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Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of a dried aqueous ethanol extract of Melissa officinalis L. leaves when used as a sensory feed additive for all animal species. The aqueous ethanol extract is specified to contain ≥ 10% of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives including ≥ 3% of rosmarinic acid. Considering the contradictory data from the Ames tests and uncertainty about the qualitative and quantitative presence of flavonoids and other compounds in the extract from M. officinalis L. leaves, the FEEDAP Panel could not conclude on the genotoxicity of the additive under assessment. Although the identified components of the extract do not raise concerns for the safety of target species, the analysis of the extract is incomplete. In the absence of adequate analytical and safety data, the FEEDAP Panel is unable to conclude on the safety of the additive for the target species. The use of M. officinalis L. leaf dried extract in animal feed at the proposed use level does not raise significantly the exposure levels of the consumer for compounds derived from this plant. However, in the absence of adequate data on genotoxicity, the Panel cannot conclude on the safety for the consumer. In the absence of specific studies, the FEEDAP Panel cannot conclude on the safety of the additive for the user. M. officinalis L. is a native species to Europe and its use in animal nutrition is not expected to pose a risk for the environment. Since M. officinalis L. and its extracts are recognised to flavour food and its function in feed would be essentially the same as that in food, no further demonstration of efficacy is considered necessary for the extract.

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“…Recently many herbal preparations are suggested to treat these lesions by some researchers (4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9). Nowadays usual and available topical agents applied to treat RHL in Iran are 5% acyclovir cream and Melissa gel.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Therapeutic Effect of Melissa Gel and 5% Acyclovir Cream in Recurrent Herpes labialis: A Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial

Ahadian

Karbassi

Ghaneh

et al. 2015

Jundishapur J Nat Pharm Prod

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Background: Recurrent Herpes labialis (RHL), as a common herpes infection in healthy persons, is treated symptomatically. Melissa officinalis has antiviral effects may affect RHL. Objectives: The current double-blind randomized study aimed to compare the clinical effect of Melissa gel and 5% acyclovir cream to treat RHL. Materials and Methods:The current study was conducted on 60 healthy students of the faculty of dentistry and dormitory residents who had experienced RHL. Participants were randomly divided into group A (treated by Melissa gel) and group B (treated by 5% acyclovir cream). The subjects used the topical drugs for seven days; they were examined on the first, second, fourth and seventh days .Clinical parameters (size of lesion, pain severity, presence of erythema and healing time) were evaluated in each visit and their changes were recorded. Results: There were no significant differences between the two groups considering the changes in the size of lesions, healing time and erythema around the lesion (except on the fourth day). Pain severity alterations among the two groups showed significant differences on the second and forth days. Conclusions: Although Melissa gel effectively reduced pain severity on the second and forth days, it was not effective to treat RHL.

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Genotoxic and Mutagenic Effects of Melissa officinalis (Erva Cidreira) Extracts

Cited by 5 publications

References 37 publications

Toxic potentials of ten herbs commonly used for aphrodisiac effect in Turkey

Toxic potentials of ten herbs commonly used for aphrodisiac effect in Turkey

Safety and efficacy of a dried aqueous ethanol extract of Melissa officinalis L. leaves when used as a sensory additive for all animal species

Therapeutic Effect of Melissa Gel and 5% Acyclovir Cream in Recurrent Herpes labialis: A Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial

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