Morus alba Prevented the Cyclophosphamide Induced Somatic and Germinal Cell Damage in Male Rats by Ameliorating the Antioxidant Enzyme Levels.

Abhijit Ghosh,Majed Sultan Alenazy,Abdulmajead Khalid Alanazi,Rakan Fahad Alamer,Syed Imam Rabbani,Ahmed Alrashed,Yahya Mohzari,Syed Mohammed Basheeruddin Asdaq,Awad Othman Aljohani,Hamdan Najib Alajami,Abdullah Ali Al Mushtawi

doi:10.3390/molecules26051266

Abstract

Cytogenetic analysis is essential to determine the effect of mutagens and antimutagens on genetic material. This study was done to evaluate the protective effect of root bark extract of Morus alba (M. alba) against cyclophosphamide induced somatic and germinal cell damage in male rats. The ethanolic extract of M. alba (0.25, 0.5 and 1 g/kg, 2 weeks) was evaluated against cyclophosphamide (75 mg/kg, single dose) induced nuclear damage. The sampling was done after 48 h of the clastogen treatment. The somatic and germinal nuclear damage was studied by bone marrow micronucleus and sperm analysis, respectively. Serum superoxide and catalase levels were estimated to determine the antioxidant status in each group. The results were analyzed statistically to find the significant variation. The administration of M. alba for 2 weeks suppressed dose-dependently the changes induced by cyclophosphamide. M. alba (0.5 g/kg) decreased the frequency of micronucleated erythrocyte, sperm shape abnormality and enhanced the sperm count, sperm motility and polychromatic-normochromatic erythrocytes ratio significantly (p < 0.05) in comparison with the cyclophosphamide treated group. The highest tested dose of M. alba (1 g/kg) produced more prominent suppression (p < 0.01) in the cyclophosphamide-induced somatic and germinal cell defects. The results also showed significant (p < 0.05) improvement in the serum antioxidant enzymes levels with M. alba when compared with the challenge group. The lower dose of M. alba extract (0.25 g/kg) prevented the CP-induced changes but was found to be statistically insignificant. Therefore, antimutagenic potential of the high dose of the extract of M. alba is possibly due to its antioxidant nature. The ability of the M. alba extract to prevent the nuclear damage could play an important role in overcoming several mutational defects that are associated with anticancer chemotherapy.

Highlights

Damage to DNA by anticancer chemotherapeutic agents is likely to be the major cause of occurrences of secondary tumors [1]
M. alba tested alone at 1 g/kg produced no change on the frequency of micronucleated erythrocytes and P/N ratio when compared with control animals (Table 1)
The present study indicates that the ethanolic extract of Morusalba (M. alba) root bark possess antimutagenic effect against the cyto-nuclear damage caused by cyclophosphamide

Summary

Introduction

Damage to DNA by anticancer chemotherapeutic agents is likely to be the major cause of occurrences of secondary tumors [1]. Cytogenetic analysis is one of the most valuable methods for studying the effect of mutagens and antimutagens on the genetic material. The quantitative and qualitative analysis of sperms is considered a rapid screening method for agents that can produce defects in the male germinal cells [3]. Together, these two tests are reported to be the established methods to assess the mutagenic potential of a compound and preventions on somatic and germinal cells [2,3]. The nuclear damage has the tendency to cause mutation, which in-turn can contribute to several complications including heart ailments, neurological disorders, and cancer [5]. One of the recent approaches in anticancer chemotherapy is to add a known antioxidant/antimutagens so as to minimize the long-term complications without compromising the potency of the anticancer effect [6]

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Conclusion