Protective Effects of Ginger extract against Methotrexate induced cytotoxicity in mice

Abstract

Ginger (Zingiber officinalis) is one of the frequently used spices in the world and medicinal plant, which has been used all over the world. This study was designed to investigate the role of aqueous ginger extract to inhibit the genotoxicity of methotrexate (MTX) in female albino mice by using these parameters: Mitotic index (MI), chromosome aberrations (CA) and micronuclei formation (MNPCE) in somatic cells (bone marrow). The cytological protection of aqueous ginger extract (AGE) was performed at doses (25, 50) mg \ kg against MTX effects (0.5) mg/kg for three weeks exposure. The results revealed the high inhibitory effects of MTX for cell division in addition to induction of chromosome aberration with micronuclei formation, the absence of cytotoxicity for AGE at tested doses, and the inhibitory efficiency of AGE against the toxicity and mutagenicity of MTX, specially at the dose 50 mg\kg. From the results we can concluded that the AGE has a promising role in the protection of somatic cells from cytotoxic effects of methotrexate.