Antimutagenic activity of vitamin‐E (α‐ tocopherol) and gallic acid (polyphenol) on the callus raised from mutagenized seeds of Trigonella foenum‐graecum L.

Abstract

Antimutagenicity of vitamin‐E (α‐ tocopherol) and gallic acid (polyphenol) has been determined in callus raised from diethyl sulphate (DES; pH 7.41) treated seeds of Trigonella foenum‐graecum L. using toxic effects on the callus growth as the criterion. In case of calli raised from seeds treated with the DES (mutagenic agent) alone, maximum reduction in the growth index (GI), i.e., 0.85 was observed in 0.75% DES concentration treated series. However, approximately 50% lethality in GI was observed in the 0.50% DES treated series as compared to control where GI was 3.87. Calli raised from DES mutagenized seeds of T. foenum‐graecum post‐treated with two concentrations of vitamin‐E (0.25% and 0.50%) and gallic acid (0.0010M and 0.0020M) exhibited antimutagenic activity by way of promotory effects on the callus growth.Vitamin‐E was found to be more potent as antimutagen (antitoxic) than gallic acid.