Genotoxic effects of Dukhan: A smoke bath from the wood of Acacia seyal used traditionally by Sudanese women.

ETHNOBOTANICAL RELEVANCE: Smoke from the wood of Acacia seyal Delile has been used by Sudanese women for making a smoke bath locally called Dukhan. The ritual is performed to relieve rheumatic pain, smooth skin, heal wounds and achieve general body relaxation. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study was designed to investigate the in vitro anti-inflammatory effect of the smoke condensate using cyclooxygenase -1 (COX-1) and -2 (COX-2) as well as its potential genotoxic effects using the bacterial-based Ames test and the mammalian cells-based micronucleus/cytome and comet assays. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The smoke was prepared in a similar way to that commonly used traditionally by Sudanese women then condensed using a funnel. Cyclooxygenase assay was used to evaluate its in vitro anti-inflammatory activity. The neutral red uptake assay was conducted to determine the range of concentrations in the mammalian cells-based assays. The Ames, cytome and comet assays were used to assess its potential adverse (long-term) effects. RESULTS: The smoke condensate did not inhibit the cyclooxygenases at the highest concentration tested. All smoke condensate concentrations tested in the Salmonella/microsome assay induced mutation in both TA98 and TA100 in a dose dependent manner. A significant increase in the frequency of micronucleated cells, nucleoplasmic bridges and nuclear buds was observed in the cytome assay as well as in the % DNA damage in the comet assay. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicated a dose dependent genotoxic potential of the smoke condensate in the bacterial and human C3A cells and may pose a health risk to women since the smoke bath is frequently practised. The study highlighted the need for further rigorous assessment of the risks associated with the smoke bath practice.

Anolignan B: a bioactive compound from the roots of Terminalia sericea.

Antibacterial bioassay-guided fractionation of an ethyl acetate root extract of Terminalia sericea led to the isolation of anolignan B. The isolated compound was further tested for anti-inflammatory activity using the cyclooxygenase enzyme assays (COX-1 and COX-2) and for potential mutagenic effects using the Ames test. In the antibacterial test, anolignan B showed activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The minimum inhibitory concentration values obtained (MIC) ranged from 3.8 microg/ml against Bacillus subtilis (Gram-positive) to 31 microg/ml against Escherichia coli (Gram-negative). In the anti-inflammatory assays, anolignan B showed activity against both COX-1 (IC(50) = 1.5 mM) and COX-2 (IC(50) = 7.5 mM) enzymes. No potential mutagenic effects were observed in the Salmonella microsome assay (TA98). Isolation of anolignan B from Terminalia sericea as well as the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities observed in this study has not been reported previously.