Protective effects of solvent fractions of Mentha spicata (L.) leaves evaluated on 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide induced chromosome damage and apoptosis in mouse bone marrow cells

Protective effects of fucoidan against 4-nitroquinolin-1-oxide provoked genetic damage in mouse bone marrow cells

Fucoidan is a unique bioactive and dietary polymer enriched mainly in the cell wall matrix of the brown seaweeds. This present study was intended to reveal the antigenotoxicity effect of fucoidan on 4-nitroquinolin-1-oxide (4-NQO) induced genetics damage and apoptosis in mice bone marrow cells. The 4-NQO caused genetic damages in the form of chromosome/chromatic breakage was estimated by micronuclei assay whereas apoptosis by annexin-V FITC kit and DNA damage by comet assay kit. In addition, oxidative damage in terms of plasma lipid peroxidation (LPO) and 8-OHdG was also estimated. In the experimental regime, six groups with each in five either sex of mice were used. Fucoidan constituted (50,100,200 mg/kg bwt) by orally for 5 days consequently and on 6th day, 4-NQO was administered (7.5 mg/kg bwt) by i.p. The results clearly show that negative control (H2O) and fucoidan alone constituted mice were not exhibited significant effect on LPO, genetic damages whereas positive control group (4-NQO 7.5 mg/kg bwt, i.p.) showed significant effect on genetic damage by showing increased level of LPO (6.25 vs 1.3 μM MDA), 8-OHdG (12 vs 4%), micronuclei about six-fold, 5-fold of comet, and 4-fold of apoptosis when compared with negative control, 11.6 ± 2.07, 5.00 ± 1.58, and 4.14 ± 0.65 respectively. Fucoidan pretreatment significantly protected the 4-NQO-induced genetic damage by 77% decreased level of micronuclei and 96% comet at dose of 200 mg/kg bwt over the positive control whereas LPO, 8-OHdG, and apoptosis were restored as equal to negative control. This study found as fucoidan possessing significant antigenotoxicity property by protecting 4-NQO-induced genetic damage in mice bone marrow cells as dose dependent manner suggest as valuable food supplements and medicine for mankind from environmental toxicants.

A Comprehensive Review on Ethnomedicinal, Pharmacological and Phytochemical Basis of Anticancer Medicinal Plants of Pakistan

The widespread emergence of cancer and development of resistance to chemotherapeutic agents is increasing the interest of scientists in the use of ethnomedicinal preparations and isolated phytochemicals in the treatment and prevention of disease. Medicinal plants have been used in Pakistan since prehistoric times. The present review was designed to identify anticancer plants of ethnomedicinal significance and to summarize the anticancer activities carried out on these medicinal plants to establish the pharmacological and phytochemical basis of their use. Pakistani anticancer medicinal plants of ethnopharmacological significance were reviewed. Conservation status, worldwide distribution and ethno-botanical preparations of these medicinal plants were also tabulated. These medicinal plants and their isolated phytochemicals were also explored for their anticancer activities. It was revealed that there were 108 anticancer medicinal plants used to treat different neoplastic conditions on the folklore basis throughout Pakistan. Among these anticancer plants, 64 plants were found to be investigated previously for anticancer activity through in vivo and in vitro methods. Several ethnomedicinal plants have been validated for their anticancer activities through in vitro and animal models. These medicinal plants and phytochemicals resulted in the inhibition of initiation, progression or metastasis of neoplasm. Some medicinal plants (10) are endangered species. Half of folkloric Pakistani plants have been validated for use against various cancers through in vitro or in vivo methods. It is necessary to carry out further pharmacological and toxicological evaluation of these folkloric anticancer plants of Pakistan. It is also necessary to identify and isolate further potential phytochemicals so as to be evaluated in cancer patients.

Protective effects ofMentha spicataagainst nicotine-induced toxicity in liver and erythrocytes of Wistar rats

The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of Mentha spicata supplementation against nicotine-induced oxidative damage in the liver and erythrocytes of Wistar rats. Bioactive substances were determined by liquid chromatography – electrospray ionization – tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Animals were divided into 4 groups of 6 rats each: a normal control group, a nicotine-treated group (1 mg/kg), a group receiving M. spicata extract (100 mg/kg), and a group receiving both M. spicata extract (100 mg/kg) and nicotine (1 mg/kg). Many phenolic acids were identified in the M. spicata aqueous extract. After 2 months of treatment, nicotine induced an increase in the level of white blood cells and a marked decrease in erythrocytes, hemoglobin, and haematocrit. Aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, and lactate dehydrogenase activities were also found to be higher in nicotine-treated group than those of the control group. Furthermore, nicotine-treated rats exhibited oxidative stress, as evidenced by a decrease in antioxidant enzymes activities and an increase in lipid peroxidation level in liver and erythrocytes. Interestingly, the oral administration of M. spicata extract by nicotine-treated rats alleviated such disturbances. M. spicata contained bioactive compounds that possess important antioxidant potential and protected liver and erythrocytes against nicotine-induced damage.

Antimutagenic and Antiapoptotic Effects of Aqueous Root Extract of Inula racemosa Hook. f. on 4-NQO-Induced Genetic Damage in Mice

The present study was performed as part of an attempt to authenticate the use of Inula racemosa root extract as traditional medicine in India by experimentally investigating their protective effects on 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4-NQO) induced DNA damage and apoptosis in mice bone marrow cells. Aqueous root extract (ARE) of Inula racemosa (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg bw) with and without 4-NQO along with vehicle control (H2O) were administered orally for five consecutive days. 4-NQO (7.5 mg/kg bw) was injected intraperitoneally to the mice on the sixth day. After 24 h, the animals were sacrificed and extracted bone marrow cells were used for micronuclei and apoptotic analysis. Antiapoptotic effect of ARE (400 mg/kg bw) was measured by the use of Annexin V-FITC assay kit. 4-NQO generated the frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MnPCEs) by about 4.7 times the control value, 14.29 MnPCEs/2500 PCEs. Pretreatment with ARE significantly reduced the MnPCEs frequency (39-72%) with respect to their doses, and increased PCEs/NCEs ratio was observed over the 4-NQO alone. 4-NQO-induced total apoptotic cells were about 12% over the control which was significantly (P < 0.05) brought down to 3.5% by pretreatment with 400 mg/kg bw of ARE. This was the first report that recorded the protective effects of I. racemosa on 4-NQO-induced DNA damage and apoptosis in mice bone marrow cells.

In-vivo Antioxidant Effects of Ethyl Acetate Fraction of Mentha spicata L. on 4-Nitroquinoline-1-Oxide Injected Mice

Antioxidant effects of ethyl acetate fraction of Mentha spicata (L.) were evaluated against 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide injected mice. For this study, experiment setup consisted of 36 albino mice of either sex divided into 6 groups: Control (25% DMSO in water), ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) alone group (80, 160 mg/Kg body weight-bwt), 4-NQO (7.5 mg/Kg bwt-IP) alone and 4-NQO + EAF. EAF and vehicles were administered orally for five consecutive days. 4-NQO (7.5 mg/Kg bwt) was injected intraperitoneally on the 6(th) day. After 24 h, the animals were killed; liver sample was extracted and used for bio-assay. 4-NQO alone treated group decreased (27-60%) the antioxidant activities and promoted lipid peroxidation (LPO-60%) over their respective control values. Pretreatment with EAF, at the maximum dose (160 mg/Kg bwt) brought down the LPO up to 87% enhanced by 4-NQO. Among the enzymatic antioxidants, glutathione S-transferase (GST) was the most affected enzyme with 4-NQO and the least was catalase (CAT). Pretreatment with EAF (160 mg/Kg bwt), the restoration of antioxidants like glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and CAT were found equal or less than 1.2 fold higher than that of the respective control values whereas, GST was observed to be the most restored antioxidant. Be reduced glutathione (GSH) and the least vitamin C over their control values. EAF restored the GSH and Vitamin E levels were found to be 1.2 fold higher than the respective control values.