Background: Chemopreventive compounds may play an important role in cancer prevention. However, many chemopreventive agents available currently are associated with toxicity. Hence, there is a need to screen for newer compounds with chemopreventive potential. Many medicinal plants can be developed as prospective chemopreventive candidates.
Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the protective effect of ethanolic extract of calotropis procera root in 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) induced genotoxicity in Wistar rats by micronucleus assay.
Materials and Methods: Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups randomly. Group 1 received distilled water (control group). Group 2 was administered DMBA (30 mg/kg body weight [BW], single dose) intraperitoneally on the 5th day of the experiment. Group 3 rats were pretreated with C. procera root extract (500 mg/kg BW) orally for 5 days followed by DMBA injection intraperitoneally 2 h after C. procera root extract on the 5th day. Group 4 rats were given C. procera root alone orally for 5 days. The animals were sacrificed on the 6th day, and bone marrow was harvested for the micronucleus test. The percentage of micronuclei in polychromatic erythrocytes (%MnPCE) and PCE: NCE were determined.
Results: Group 2 rats exhibited significant (P < 0.0001) increase in the %MnPCEs compared to control group. Group 3 and 4 rats did not show a significant increase in %MnPCEs compared to control group. The PCE: NCE ratio is decreased in Group 2 rats compared to the control group, but it is not statistically significant. The PCE: NCE ratio does not differ significantly from the control group in Groups 3 and 4.
Conclusion: The ethanolic extract of C. procera root exhibits antigenotoxic activity in DMBA induced genotoxicity in Wistar rats.
Key words: Calotropis procera; 7,12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene; Antigenotoxic Effect; Wistar Rats
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