Mutagenicity and Antimutagenicity ofBaccharis dracunculifoliaExtract in Chromosomal Aberration Assays in Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells

Abstract

Baccharis dracunculifolia De Candole (Asteraceae), a native plant from the Brazilian "cerrado", is widely used in folk medicine as an anti-inflammatory agent and for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. B. dracunculifolia has been described as the most important plant source of propolis in southeastern Brazil, which is called green propolis due to its color. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the mutagenic and antimutagenic effects of the ethyl acetate extract of B. dracunculifolia leaves (Bd-EAE) on Chinese hamster ovary cells. On one hand, the results showed a significant increase in the frequencies of chromosome aberrations at the highest Bd-EAE concentration tested (100 microg/mL). On the other hand, the lowest Bd-EAE concentration tested (12.5 micro/mL) significantly reduced the chromosome damage induced by the chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin. The present results indicate that Bd-EAE has the characteristics of a so-called Janus compound, that is, Bd-EAE is mutagenic at higher concentrations, whereas it displays a chemopreventive effect on doxorubicin-induced mutagenicity at lower concentrations. The constituents of B. dracunculifolia responsible for its mutagenic and antimutagenic effects are probably flavonoids and phenylpropanoids, since these compounds can act either as pro-oxidants or as free radical scavengers depending on their concentration.

Lack of clastogenic/genotoxic effects of Baccharis dracunculifolia extract on Swiss mouse peripheral blood cells

“…Tavares et al (2006) observed in CHO cells that green propolis is genotoxic at high concentrations, while at lower concentrations it displays antigenotoxic effects, indicating the characteristic of a "Janus" compound. Similar results were obtained by Munari et al (2008) analysing B. dracunculifolia extract in CHO cells by chromosomal aberration assays. Lima (2007) observed that difLima (2007) observed that different fractions of green propolis produced increase in the mutagenicity of the methyl methane sulfonate in CHO cells, and in the H 2 O 2 mutagenicity in CHO and HepG2 cells.…”

Mutagenic and genotoxic effects of Baccharis dracunculifolia (D.C.)

“…The extract increased the micronucleated PCE in about three times, in comparison to the saline group. In studies using Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO), a propolis ethanol extract as well as an ethyl acetate extract of Baccharis dracunculifolia increased frequency of chromosome aberrations, both at the highest concentration tested (100 g/mL) (Tavares et al, 2006;Munari et al, 2008). The extract of Baccharis dracunculifolia was mutagenic at the highest concentration tested (100 g/mL), whereas at the lowest concentration it exerted chemopreventive effects against the chromosome damages induced by doxorubicin in CHO cells (Munari et al, 2008).…”

“…The extract of Baccharis dracunculifolia was mutagenic at the highest concentration tested (100 g/mL), whereas at the lowest concentration it exerted chemopreventive effects against the chromosome damages induced by doxorubicin in CHO cells (Munari et al, 2008). Flavonoids have been suggested to be the components mainly responsible for both the mutagenic and antimutagenic effects of propolis and Baccharis dracunculifolia extracts (Tavares et al, 2006;Munari et al, 2008).…”

“…In studies using Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO), a propolis ethanol extract as well as an ethyl acetate extract of Baccharis dracunculifolia increased frequency of chromosome aberrations, both at the highest concentration tested (100 g/mL) (Tavares et al, 2006;Munari et al, 2008). The extract of Baccharis dracunculifolia was mutagenic at the highest concentration tested (100 g/mL), whereas at the lowest concentration it exerted chemopreventive effects against the chromosome damages induced by doxorubicin in CHO cells (Munari et al, 2008). Flavonoids have been suggested to be the components mainly responsible for both the mutagenic and antimutagenic effects of propolis and Baccharis dracunculifolia extracts (Tavares et al, 2006;Munari et al, 2008).…”

Effects of Turkish propolis on expression of hOGG-1 and NEIL-1

“…Flavonoids in EEP are assessed as Janus compounds. Depending on their concentrations, they act as prooxidants or radical scavengers and exhibit mutagenic or antimutagenic activity (2,32,33). De Flora suggested that biopolyphenols exhibit antimutagenic or anticarcinogenic effects not only by scavenging radicals but also by chelating transition metals and inhibiting radical formation (34).…”