Evaluation of Some Hematological and Cytogenetic Effects of Ammi majus Seed Aqueous Extract in Albino Male Mice

Rakad M Kh Al-Jumaily,Ali H Ad'Hiah,Baraa A Abdul Hameed,Mohammed M F Al Halbosiy

doi:10.24126/jobrc.2010.4.1.104

Abstract

The present study was carried out with the aim to evaluate the hematological and cytogenetic effects of seed aqueous extract of the plant Ammi majus (0.5, 1.0, 1.5) mg/kg in albino male mice. The investigated parameters were total count of leucocytes (TLC), mitotic index (MI), micronucleus (MN) formation and chromosomal aberrations. The mitomycin C (MMC) was used as a mutagen in the interaction with the plant extract (pre- and post-treatment), with the aim to determine the antimutagenic efficiency of the plant extract, and in all cases, the materials were given orally. In the first treatment, the results indicated that the dose 1.5 mg/kg of the extract enhanced the parameters investigated and a significant increase was observed in TLC (10070 cells/cu.mm.blood) as compared to negative (7290 cells/cu.mm.blood) or positive (4910 cells/cu.mm.blood) controls, and such observation was positively correlated with the mitotic index. In contrast, the spontaneous formation of MN was significantly decreased in the three investigated doses of the extract. In pre- and post-treatment experiments, a similar picture was drawn, and the plant extract was able to modulate the mutagenic effects of MMC.

Highlights

Plant extracts are always evoked the interest as sources of natural products, and this is reasoned by the fact they have different chemical compounds that make them of a medical importance [1]
Such chemical constituents have important biological potentials; for instance, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidant and antimutagenic properties [3]. With respect to the latter potential, it is important to note that carcinogenesis is preceded by mutagenesis, and medicinal plants and/or plant products with antimutagenic properties can be considered as important anticarcinogens [4], especially if we consider that the etiology of cancer is multifactorial and in all cases, a genetic abnormality is a universal factor, and such abnormality is considered as a trigger for the initiation and progression of carcinogenesis [5, 6]
The results of the first treatment showed that the total leucocyte count (TLC) was increased in all groups of A. majus treated mice and such observation was positively correlated with the mitotic index (MI)

Summary

Introduction

Plant extracts are always evoked the interest as sources of natural products, and this is reasoned by the fact they have different chemical compounds that make them of a medical importance [1]. The plant is rich in furochromones ( khellin, visnagin, khellol and khellol glucoside), pyranocoumarins ( visnadin and samidin) and flavonoids (including quercetin and isohamnetin and their 3-sulfates) [9] Such constituents may justify the folkloric medicinal applications of the plant in treating leprosy, kidney stones and urinary tract infections, the plant has been effective against some skin disorders such as psoriasis and vitiligo (acquired leukoderma) [10, 11]. 0.25 of each dose was given to the animals for seven days (single dose/day) and in day 8, they were investigated Such treatment was paralleled by negative (dosed with distilled water) and positive (dosed with MMC: 5 mg/kg) controls.

Positive Control

Findings

Discussion