Genotoxic and antimutagenic effects of capparis spinosa l. on the allium cepa l. Root tip meristem cells

Abstract

Capparis spinosa L. flower buds (CS) aqueous extracts are used in Turkey traditional medicine for their diuretic, antihypertensive, poultice, tonic and other properties. The present study evaluates the genotoxic and antimutagenic effects of capers (C. spinosa L.) flower buds aqueous extract on the Allium cepa L root tip meristem cells. The experiment was carried out in three applications: (1) the onion bulbs were treated with 3.10–2 M Ethyl Methane sulfonate (EMS) for 2 h, after than the EMS treatment, the onion bulbs were treated with three different concentrations (10g/L, 20g/L and 30g/L) of aqueous extract from flowering buds for 24 h. (2) onion bulbs were treated with three different concentrations (10g/L, 20g/L and 30g/L) of aqueous extract for 24 h and then with 3.10–2 M EMS for 2 h (3) Onion bulbs were treated with three different concentrations (10g/L, 20g/L and 30g/L) of aqueous extract for 24 h without EMS treatment. 3.10–2 M EMS was used as positive control and tap water (pH 7.3) was used as negative control. The root tips of onions were squashed after aceto-orcein staining and the cells were analyzed for chromosome aberrations and mitotic index. Growth retardation, significant decrease in mitotic index and chromosome aberrations were observed in root-tip cells treated with aqueous extract before and after the Ethyl Methane sulfonate (EMS) treatment when compared with the controls in all treatments. These effects were concentration-dependent and statistically significant (p<0.05). The results of this study suggest that, CS buds aqueous extract is non-genotoxic. However, the study reveals that CS aqueous extract has antimutagenic potential against EMS induced chromosomal aberrations in A. cepa root meristem cells and the antimutagenic potential of CS flower buds extract is effective at 30 g/L concentration. © 2009 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.