Investigation of cytotoxic and mutagenic effects of Malpighia glabra L. (barbados cherry) fruit pulp and vitamin C on plant and animal test systems

Abstract

Fruits are important sources of nutrients in human diet, and Barbados Cherry (Malpighia glabra L.) is of particular interest due to its high content of antioxidants. Diets rich in fruits and vegetables protect individuals against diseases and cancer, but excessive intake of vitamins may act as pro-oxidant and generate changes in DNA. To evaluate the effect of different in natura (BAN) and frozen (BAF) Barbados Cherry pulp concentrations and synthetic vitamin C in liquid form (VC) on the chromosome level and the cell cycle division, root meristeme cells of Allium cepa L. and bone marrow cells of Wistar rats Rattus norvegicus, were used as test system. In Allium cepa L., BAN, at the highest concentration (0.4 mg.mL-1) and BAF, at the lowest concentration (0.2 mg.mL-1), inhibited cell division, and there was recovery of cell division after the recovery period in water only for BAN. In the Wistar rats, all treatments with Barbados Cherry, either acute or subchronic, were not cytotoxic or mutagenic; only the highest concentration of VC increased significantly the rate of chromosomal abnormalities. The data obtained are important to reinforce the use of Barbados Cherry fruit in the diet.

Cytotoxic and mutagenic effects of iodine-131 and radioprotection of acerola (Malpighia glabra L.) and beta-carotene in vitro

“…It has been shown previously that beta-carotene was not mutagenic toward the bone marrow cells of mice and rats based on the MN test (El-Habit et al, 2000;El-Makawy and El-Ashmaoui, 2003) and was not toxic (2.5, 3.75, and 5.0 mg) when administered to rats (Oliveira et al, 2007). The data from Düsman et al (2012b) corroborate these results because, in natura, acerola pulp (0.2, 0.4 and 5.0 mg/mL) and, frozen pulp (0.2 and 0.4 mg/mL) also showed no mutagenic and cytotoxic activity in bone marrow cells of Wistar rats based on the chromosomal aberration test. In addition, using the comet assay, Nunes et al (2011) also showed that 0.5, 1, and 2 mg/mL unripe and ripe acerola fruit showed no genotoxicity in rat cells.…”

In vivo antimutagenic effects of the Barbados cherry fruit (Malpighia glabra Linnaeus) in a chromosomal aberration assay

“…Juices were prepared in a blender, mixing 0.4 mg pulp (fresh or frozen) in 1 mL water. This concentration exhibited no cytotoxic or mutagenic properties in a previous study conducted by our research group (Düsman et al, 2012).…”

“…Additionally, the two pulps tested (fresh and frozen) had similar effects on the mitotic index in the antimutagenic treatment groups (SIM, PRE, and POST). Negative results for BC cytotoxicity were also found by Düsman et al (2012), in an in vivo chromosomal aberration test using bone marrow cells of Wistar rats; by Almeida et al (2013), in an in vitro micronucleus test using hepatoma cells of R. norvegicus; and by Horta et al (2016), in an in vivo micronucleus test with the bone marrow cells of mice. Motohashi et al (2004) also found that extracts of Barbados cherry fruit were not cytotoxic to normal human periodontal ligament fibroblasts or gingival fibroblasts.…”

“…Thus, in the absence of any cytotoxic or mutagenic effects of BC (Düsman et al, 2012), and considering the proven anti-tumor effects of the fruit extracts, the protective effects of this fruit following exposure to CP were evaluated. This fruit has been used to treat a wide range of neoplastic diseases, as well as certain non-malignant lesions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, which are also responsible for producing secondary tumors (Anderson et al, 1995).…”

Radioprotective effect of the Barbados Cherry (Malpighia glabra L.) against radiopharmaceutical Iodine-131 in Wistar rats in vivo

“…Groups: Negative control: CO - ; Barbados Cherry: BC (Results published in [14]); Iodine-131: 131I (Results published in [5]). Antimutagenic Treatments: SIM: simultaneous; PRE: pre-treatment; POST: post-treatment; CON: continuous.…”