Resumo

MENA-HUERTAS, Jaqueline et al. Absence of cytotoxic, mutagenic and genotoxic effectS of aqueous extract and essential oilS of Carica candamarcensis Hook. (PLANTAE: CARICACEAE). Actu Biol [online]. 2011, vol.33, n.95, pp.153-164. ISSN 0304-3584.

The aqueous extract and essential oils from the pulp of ripe fruits of Carica candamarcensis Hook. f. (1875) (chilacuán, cold weather papayuela) showed in vitro anti-Helicobacter pylori activity; therefore, they may be considered promissory for a complementary therapy to control gastric infection of this bacterium. The present study contributes to further examine these extracts, evaluating: a) cytotoxicity through analysis of human lymphocytes isolated by the traditional Hystopaque^® gradient method and cultured in RPMI-1640 medium; b) mutagenicity through the Ames assay; c) genotoxicity through alkaline electrophoresis of individual cells [comet assay (SGCE)]. For aqueous extract (AE), doses ranging from the original concentrated extract to 10^-2 were evaluated (dilutions in sterile distilled water) and for essential oils (EO) they ranged from the original extract diluted in 1% DMSO up to 10^-6. This study demonstrated that based upon the tests used, all evaluated concentrations were safe in a mutagenic, genotoxic and cytotoxic level. However, further studies are required with other test methods to confirm or refute whether extracts induce significant DNA damage, or have antimutagenic and antigenotoxic effects, to permit a subsequente development of a herbal medicine based upon C. candamarcensis as complementary therapy in patients with a record of infection with H. pylori.

Palavras-chave : aqueous extracts; Carica candamarcensis; essential oils; genotoxicity; Helicobacter pylori; mutagenicity.

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