Studies on the mutagenicity, clastogenicity and antimutagenicity potential of Tinospora rumphii Boerlage (family Menispermaceae)

• Main Author: del Fierro, Ramon S.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 1983
• Subjects: Menispermaceae—Analysis; Chemistry
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/faculty_research/6223
• Institution: De La Salle University

Extractives prepared from the stems of Tinospora rumphil Boerlage were tested for mutagenic, clastogenic and antimutagenic potential by conducting both in vitro and in vivo tests. The in vitro Rec Assay method, using mutant strains of Bacillus subtilis H17 Rec+ and M45 Rec- was used to test for the DNA-damaging effect of T. rumphii. The results showed that the extractives did not exhibit any DNA-damaging capacity. The Pour Plate method of Ames, another in vitro test, using mutant strains of Salmonella typhimurium TA 1535, TA 1537, TA 97 and TA 98, was used to evaluate the mutagenicity before metabolic activation of the extractives from T. rumphii. The result showed that the extractives do not contain direct mutagens. The Host-Mediated Assay, an in vivo test, was conducted using albino mice (Japanese Namru strain) with S. typhimurium strain His G46 as the indicator organism. The result showed that the extractives from T. rumphii were not transformed into mutagenic product(s) after metabolic activation. The micronucleus Test, using albino mice (Japanese Namru strain) as the test system, showed that the extractives from T. rumphii generally do not affect the chromatin material of the bone marrow cells. However, at a concentration much higher than the recommended formula of a decoction which is 20% (w/v), a slight chromosomal damage was observed. The antimutagenic effect on bone marrow cells was evaluated using the Micronucleus Test of Schmid. The mutacarcinogens used were dimethyInitrosamine, flagyl, mitomycin C and safrole. Reduction of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes was observed when the extractives from T. rumphii were given orally after administration of the mutacarcinogens. This indicates the antimutagenic property of T. rumphii.