ABSTRACT
Physalis angulata L (Solanaceae) is a medicinal plant from North of Brazil, whose different extracts and infusions are commonly used in the popular medicine for the treatment of malaria, asthma, hepatitis, dermatitis and rheumatism. However, the genotoxic effects of P. angulata on human cells is not well known. The main purpose of the present study was to evaluate the in vitro genotoxic effects of aqueous extract of P. angulata using the comet assay and the micronucleus assay in human lymphocytes provided from 6 healthy donors. Treatments with P. angulata extracts were performed in vitro in order to access the extent of DNA damage. The comet assay has shown that treatments with P. angulata at 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 6.0 microg/mL in culture medium were genotoxic. Lymphocytes treated with P. angulata at the concentrations of 3.0 and 6.0 microg/mL in culture medium showed a statistically significant increase in the frequency of micronucleus (p<0.05), however, the cytokinesis blocked proliferation index (CBPI) was not decreased after P. angulata treatment. In conclusion, the present work demonstrated the genotoxic effects of P. angulata extract on human lymphocytes in vitro.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Adolescent , Adult , Female , Cells, Cultured , Comet Assay , Lymphocytes , Mutagens/pharmacology , Physalis/toxicity , Plant Extracts/toxicity , Micronucleus TestsABSTRACT
The Canova Method (CM) is a homeopathic medicine indicated for the treatment of patients with cancer and for pathologies that involve a depressed immune system, such as AIDS. This product is composed of homeopathic dilutions of Aconitum napellus, Arsenicum album (arsenic trioxide), Bryonia alba, Lachesis muta venom and Thuya occidentalis. It stimulates the immune system by activating macrophages. Activated macrophages stimulate the lymphocytes so that they increase their cytotoxic action in response to tumoral growth or infection. Given that the CM stimulates and accelerates the activity of macrophages and lymphocytes, we evaluated genotoxic effects induced in human lymphocytes treated with this homeopathic medication in vitro. Structural and numerical chromosomal aberrations were scored for the assessment of induced genotoxic effects, while the variation in mitotic index was considered as a monitor for induced cellular toxicity. The lymphocytes were cultivated for 24, 48 or 72 h in the following final concentrations of the medicinal composite CM: 4, 8 and 12. Treatments with the CM did not affect mitotic indexes, nor did they provoke chromosomal aberrations, when compared with untreated controls. There was no cytotoxicity or genotoxicity at the chromosomal level
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adult , Antineoplastic Agents/toxicity , Homeopathy , In Vitro Techniques , Lymphocytes/drug effects , Chromosome Aberrations , Cytogenetic Analysis , Plant Extracts/toxicity , Lymphocytes/cytology , Mitotic Index , Mutagenicity TestsABSTRACT
Twelve breast fibroadenomas were analyzed cytogenetically and only four were found to have clonal alterations. The presence of chromosomal alterations in fibroadenomas must be the consequence of the proliferating process and must not be related to the etiology of this type of lesion. In contrast, the few fibroadenomas that exhibit chromosomal alterations are likely to be those presenting a risk of neoplastic transformation. Clonal numerical alterations involved chromosomes 8, 18, 19, and 21. Of the chromosomal alterations found in the present study, only monosomy of chromosomes 19 and 21 has been reported in breast fibroadenomas. The loss of chromosome 21 was the most frequent alteration found in our sample. The study of benign proliferations and their comparison with chromosome alterations in their malignant counterparts ought to result in a better understanding of the genes acting on cell proliferation alone, and of the genes that cause these cells to exhibit varied behaviors such as recurrences, spontaneous regression and fast growth
Subject(s)
Humans , Adolescent , Female , Adult , Breast Neoplasms/genetics , Chromosome Aberrations/genetics , Cytogenetic Analysis , Fibroadenoma/genetics , Follow-Up Studies , KaryotypingABSTRACT
Os autores relatam um caso de leucemia linfoblástica aguda (ALL) que no exame citogenético de células da medula óssea apresentou manomalias cromossômicas já descritas nesta condiçäo del(6)(q23); t(9;22)(q34;q11), ao lado das alteraçöes cromossômicas del(4)(p14) + 4ace e t(4;15)(p14;pter) ainda näo relatadas em ALL. Discutem a hipótese destas alteraçöes influenciarem na origem da malignidade, na pobre resposta ao tratamento e mau prognóstico observado no paciente pela possível ativaçäo de oncogenes em consequência das anomalias observadas