Mutagenic, antimutagenic, cytotoxic, and apoptotic activities of extracts from Pituranthos tortuosus

Abstract

Mutagenic and antimutagenic activities against direct acting mutagens, nifuroxazide (NF) and sodium azide (SA), and indirect acting mutagen aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) of extracts prepared from aerial parts of Pituranthos tortuosus were investigated in bacterial assay systems (i.e., the Ames test with Salmonella typhimurium TA100, TA98, TA1538, TA1535, and the SOS chromotest with Escherichia coli PQ 37). It was found that all extracts obtained from P. tortuosus decreased the mutagenicity induced by AFB1 (10 microg/assay), SA (1.5 microg/assay), and NF (20 microg/assay). Ethyl acetate, acetone, methanol, and total oligomer flavenoid extracts exhibited the highest inhibition level of mutagenicity induced by the indirect mutagen AFB1. In addition, antiproliferative and apoptotic properties of these extracts have also been reported using two leukemia cell lines, L1210 and K562. The results revealed that all extracts showed a significant cytotoxic effect on these cell lines, and the effect was greater in the presence of human K562 chronic myelogenous leukemia cells, whereas they do not induce apoptosis.