Avaliação da citotoxicidade, genotoxicidade e dos efeitos protetores do extrato de Anacardium occidentale L. in vitro

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2007

RESUMO

The use of vegetable species in order to treat and cure diseases leads us back to the beginning of our civilization, to the moment in which man started a long journey of handling, adaptation and modification of these natural resources for his own benefit. Among the plants that continue to be a great source of medicine to the humanity is the Anacardium occidentale L., popularly known as cashew tree, which has several therapeutical indications, such as: scarred property, antihipertensive, gastric disturbance combat, diabetes control, asthma and bronchitis combat. However, some studies showed mutagenic activity for this plant?s extract. In the face of activities already described for the cashew and having as an aim to contribute for a better clarifying of its biological activities, the present work has as a goal to evaluate in vitro the possible citotoxity, genotoxicity, mutagenicity and protective effects of the cashew?s stem bark, using the comet assay and the cromossomic aberration test in cell V-79. The cell survival test evaluated the citotoxicity of different cashew?s stem bark extract concentrations (500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000 and 6000 ?g/mL of culture agent) and allowed the choice of three (500 ?g/mL, 1000 ?g/mL and 2000 ?g/mL of culture agent), which did not present citotoxity for the fulfillment of the genotoxicity and mutagenicity tests. In the cromossomic aberration and comet assays the doxorrubicine (DXR) and methyl metanosulfonate (MMS) were respectively used as damage inductor agents and, as negative control, PBS. In the protection activities using the comet assay, the extract was associated to the MMS in pre, post and simultaneous treatment and its antimutagenic action, when associated to DXR, was evaluated over the cromossomic aberrations incidence in simultaneous continuous treatments and in the phases G1, S and G2 of the cell cycle. The results obtained in the cromossomic aberration test revealed that none of the three concentrations that were used has showed mutagenic effect in all the treatment protocols used and that in the antimutagenicity test, the cashew?s stem bark provided antimutagenic effect in all phases of the cell cycles tested. In the G1 phase, the 500 and 2000 ?g/mL concentrations as well as the 1000 ?g/mL concentration in the S phase also presented protective effect. The comet assay revealed that the two minor concentrations used did not present genotoxic activity and that the major one showed low genotoxicity. All concentrations presented damage protection activity in the DNA caused by the MMS in simultaneous treatment and post-treatment, which suggests that such extract possibly has a bio-antimutagenic action. The fact that the cashew?s stem bark extract did not show genotoxicidade in the most of concentrations and protocols assessed and it has protected the V79 cells against damages caused by alquilant (MMS) and oxidant (DXR) agents gives us more security in its therapeutical usage and stimulates the continuity of the studies aiming to contribute to the understanding of the mechanism involved in its protective effect and identification of the bioactive compounds found in this extract.

ASSUNTO(S)

caju - melhoramento genético plantas - genética molecular biologia molecular cashew - breeding plants - molecular genetics molecular biology

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

Documentos Relacionados