Mutagenicity and antioxidant activity of Croton antisyphiliticus Mart

Abstract

Croton antisyphiliticus is used in folk medicine of Brazil as antisyphilitic, diuretic and anti-inflammatory. Toxicological and pharmacological studies are scarce, so this study aimed to evaluate mutagenic and antioxidant activity of methanolic extract and fractions of vegetative parts. To evaluate its genotoxicity it was determined the frequency of micronucleus in bone marrow of rats. The antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH test, and iron chelator. Additionally we determined the levels of total phenols and flavonoids. All fractions obtained showed no mutagenic activity and showed significantly lower micronucleus frequency compared to the negative control (water = 0.39%). The antioxidant activity of the methanolic extract was evaluated in 81% in DPPH test and 77.8% for the test of iron ion chelator. The methanolic extract and its fractions showed the presence of phenols and flavonoids. It was possible to conclude that the methanolic extract and its fractions show no mutagenic activity, and the high antioxidant activity may be related to different phenolics compounds, especially the presence of flavonoids.