ABSTRACT
Aims: To evaluate the protective effects of the aqueous extract of the fruit pulp of Adansonia digitata (AEFAD) in sodium arsenite (SA) and cyclophosphamide (CP) induced hepatotoxicity and clastogenicity in rats. Study Design/Methodology: Fifty four male Wistar rats were distributed into nine groups (A-I) of six animals each. Group A received distilled water and normal diet, Groups B received SA at 2.5 mg/kg body weight, Group C received CP at 10 mg/kg body weight, Groups D –I received the extract alone and with SA or CP. Results: A statistically significant (P <0.05) higher levels of: mean γGT, ALT and AST activities, number of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (nMPCEs) scored in the bone marrow cells, proliferation of hepatic cells and lipid peroxidation were observed in rats exposed to (SA) or (CP) as compared with the control. Treatment with AEFAD along with SA or CP significantly (P <0.05) reduced the effects of the toxins on the above indices. Observations made with histological analysis of the liver sections revealed lesions ranging from general congestion, mild periportal cellular infiltration and hepatic necrosis to severe congestion in the treated groups. Conclusion: Findings from this study therefore reaffirmed the hepatoxicity and clastogenicity of SA and CP and revealed that AEFAD can ameliorate these toxicities in rats.
ABSTRACT
Fansidar is a fixed combination of two antimalarial agents a diaminopyrimidine (Pyrimethamine) and a sulphonamide (Sulphadoxine) in the ratio 1:20- that have been used extensively worldwide for the treatment of Chloroquine resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria, toxoplasmosis and pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. This study examined the effect of Fansidar on chromosomes in human lymphocyte culture. Fansidar was added to peripheral blood lymphocyte cultures in vitro at four different concentrations: 5, 15, 25 and 50 @l in the ratio 1:20, 3:60, 5:100 and 10:200 @g ml-1. Result shows that this drug induces moderate increase in the frequency of gaps, breaks and rearrangements. Therefore it can be concluded that Fansidar has moderate clastogenic effect on human chromosomes in vitro.
ABSTRACT
El 5α, 8α-epidioxiesterol se obtiene por oxidación fotoquímica a partir del 7-deshidrocolesterol. El compuesto se analiza mediante técnicas cromatográficas y espectrales lo que permite identificarlo como 5α, 8α-epidioxi-colesta-6-én-3β-ol (también llamado peróxido del 7-deshidrocolesterol). Adicionalmente, se evalúa el efecto citotóxico y clastogénico mediante el ensayo cometa y la prueba de exclusión con el colorante vital azul de tripano. Se evalúan las concentraciones de 5α, 8α-epidioxicolesterol para determinar su efecto sobre los linfocitos de sangre periférica humana. Se determina que ninguna de las concentraciones de 5α, 8α-epidioxicolesterol presenta efectos clastogénicos aunque, la mayor concentración muestra un leve efecto citotóxico. Estos resultados sugieren realizar otras pruebas in vitro e in vivo con el fin de evaluar el comportamiento sobre otros sistemas celulares y además realizar otro tipo de ensayos de actividad con el fin de determinar su potencial bioactivo.
5α, 8α-epidioxysterol is obtained by photochemical oxidation of 7-dehydrocholesterol. This compound is analyzed using chromatographic and spectral techniques. This analysis identifies the compound as: 5α, 8α-epidioxy-cholesta-6-en-3β-ol. Cytotoxic and clastogenic effects of 5α, 8α-epidioxysterol by comet and exclusion assays with the tripan blue dye are evaluated. Three concentrations are used to determinate its effect on human lymphocytes from peripheral blood. No concentration shows clastogenic effect but the higher concentration exhibited cytotoxic effect. These results are interesting for this compound but it is necessary to do other in vitro and in vivo assays to evaluate the behavior on other cellular systems with the goal to determinate its bioactive potential.
ABSTRACT
The mutagenic potential of some medicinal plants for fertility control was determined using four different tests. The plants studied were makahiya, ampalaya, malunggay and kamias. Results of the Rec assay showed that the plants studied did not possess direct DNA-damaging capacity. This was confirmed by the Ames test which indicated that these plants were not mutagenic per se. Mutagenic activity following metabolism in a host animal and chromosome-breaking effects were likewise not observed. (Auth)
ABSTRACT
Mutagenesis of several male contraceptives in sperm bead anomalies was investigated. Results show that glycosides of tripterygium wilfordii hook (GTW) and its monomer T13, microwave induce sperm head anomalies. However, gossypol and monomer T4 and GTW do not induce sperm head anomalies. Adult male mice and rats were given orally GTW, monomer T4, T13 and gossypol. These chemical agents were delivered in 1% methylcellulose. Result indicated that frequency of abnormal sperm heads in GTW, T13 groups were significantly increased, while frequency of abnormal sperm heads in T4 and gossypol-treated animals were similar to that of normal controls. When male mice were exposed to microwaves of 0.5 kW for 1-2 min, for five weeks abnormal shape of spermatozoa could be found.