Abstract
Lilium candidum L. extract (LE) is well known in folk medicine for the treatment of burns, ulcers, inflammations and for healing wounds. This work aims to clarify whether the genotoxic potential of the radiomimetic antibiotic zeocin (Zeo) could be modulated by LE. Our results indicate that LE exerts no cytotoxic, DNA-damaging and clastogenic activity in in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Pisum sativum L. and Hordeum vulgare L. test systems over a broad concentration range. Weak but statistically significant clastogenic effects due to the induction of micronuclei and chromosome aberrations have been observed in H. vulgare L. after treatment with 200 and 300 μg/mL LE. To discriminate protective from adverse action of LE different experimental designs have been used. Our results demonstrate that the treatment with mixtures of LE and Zeo causes an increase in the level of DNA damage, micronuclei and “metaphases with chromatid aberrations” (MwA). Clear evidence has been also obtained indicating that pretreatment with LE given 4 h before the treatment with Zeo accelerates the rejoining kinetics of Zeo-induced DNA damage in P. sativum L. and C. reinhardtii, and can decrease clastogenic effect of Zeo measured as frequencies of micronuclei and MwA in H. vulgare L. Here, we show for the first time that LE can modulate the genotoxic effects of zeocin. The molecular mode of action strongly depends on the experimental design and varies from synergistic to protective effect (adaptive response–AR). Our results also revealed that LE-induced AR to zeocin involves up-regulation of DSB rejoining in C. reinhardtii and P. sativum L. cells.
Highlights
The use of plants and herbs for medicinal purposes is widespread
As the antimutagenic activity of natural compounds often correlates with antioxidant effects and contents of phytochemical substances from the flavonoids group, our hypothesis is that the L. extract (LE), which is rich in flavonoids and with pronounced antioxidant activity, could possess bioprotective potential
Analyzing the kinetics of DNA breaks rejoining induced by Zeo-treatment given 4 h after the priming treatment with LE in C. reinhardtii (Figure 6c) and P. sativum L. (Figure 7c) we suggest that Lilium extract-induced adaptive response (AR) to Zeo involves up-regulation of double strand breaks (DSBs) rejoining in both C. reinhardtii and P. sativum L. cells
Summary
The use of plants and herbs for medicinal purposes is widespread. Today 30–40% of all medicines contain one or more bioactive components derived from plants. Much attention has been given to the natural phytochemicals with antioxidant, antibacterial, antimutagenic, antimalarial and anticarcinogenic activities [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8]. Lilium candidum L. extract (LE) contains various biologically active compounds [9,10]. As the antimutagenic activity of natural compounds often correlates with antioxidant effects and contents of phytochemical substances from the flavonoids group, our hypothesis is that the LE, which is rich in flavonoids and with pronounced antioxidant activity, could possess bioprotective potential
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