In vitro Safety Evaluation and Anticlastogenic Effect of BacoMind^(TM) on Human Lymphocytes

Objective BacoMind^TM （BM） is a standardized extract of Bacopa monnieri, which belongs to the family Scrophulariaceae and is a creeping annual plant found throughout the Indian subcontinent. It has been used by Ayurvedic medicinal practitioners in India for almost 3000 years and is classified as a medharasayana, a substance which improves memory and intellect. With the widespread traditional use as well as scientific validation of Bacopa monnieri for nootropic activity, a bioactive-rich unique phytochemical composition-BacoMind^TM was developed from B. monnieri for use as a cognition and memory enhancing agent. The present study aimed to investigate the in vitro toxicity of this formulation of BacoMind^TM on human lymphocytes and to rule out its possible contribution to mutagenicity. Methods In the present investigation the active ingredients present in BM were identified and quantified by high performance liquid chromatography （HPLC） and high performance thin-layer chromatography （HPTLC）. Antioxidant and anticlastogenic properties of BM were studied in vitro with and without metabolic activation. Doses of BM were chosen on the basis of mitotic index （MI） and cytokinesis-block proliferation index （CBPI）. Clastogenicity assays were performed at 31.2 μg/mL, 62.5 μg/mL, and 125 μg/mL, while the Salmonella reverse mutation assay （Ames test） was performed at doses of 61.72, 185.18, 555.55, 1666.67, and 5000.00 μg/plate. Results HPLC and HPTLC analysis of BM revealed the presence of bacoside A3. bacopaside Ⅰ, bacopaside Ⅱ, jujubogenin isomer of bacopasaponin C, bacosine, luteolin, apigenin, bacosine, and β-sitosterol D glucoside. BM demonstrated significant antioxidant activity. The number of chromosomal aberrations and the frequency of micronuclei induced by BM were not statistically significant up to a dose of 62.5 μg/mL. A subsequent dose of 125 μg/mL prior to metabolic activation induced mild clastogenicity, but it was found to be biologically insignificant as this effect was not seen post metabolic activation. BM also demonstrated a dose-dependent protection against the clastogens used in this study using the above tests for clastogenicity. Maximum protection was observed in presence of metabolic activation. Moreover, BM demonstrated no mutagenic effect on the tested strains, as observed in the Ames test. Conclusion BM protected human lymphocytes against various clastogens. BM also exhibited high antioxidant activity which might be responsible for the observed protective effects against the clastogens since the used clastogens are known to induce their clastogenic effects via production of oxidative radicals.

Anticlastogenic Effect of Redistilled Cow's Urine Distillate in Human Peripheral Lymphocytes Challenged With Manganese Dioxide and Hexavalent Chromium

Objective To study the anticlastogenic effect of redistilled cow＇s urine distillate （RCUD） in human peripheral lymphocytes （HLC） challenged with manganese dioxide and hexavalent chromium. Methods The anticlastogenic activity of redistilled cow＇s urine distillate was studied in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes （HPNLs） and human peripheral lymphocytes in vitro challenged with manganese dioxide and hexavalent chromium as established genotoxicants and clastogens which could cause induction of DNA strand break, chromosomal aberration and micronucleus. Three different levels of RCUD： 1 μL/mL, 50 μL/mL and 100 μL/mL, were used in the study. Results Manganese dioxide and hexavalent chromium caused statistically significant DNA strand break, chromosomal aberration and micronucleus formation, which could be protected by redisfilled cow＇s urine distillate. Conclusion The redistilled cow＇s urine distillate posseses strong anfigenotoxic and antielastogenic properties against HPNLs and HLC treated with Cr^＋6 and MnO2. This property is mainly due to the antioxidants present in RCUD.

Diazinon-Induced Clastogenity and Pathological Changes in Ovaries and Testes of Clarias gariepinus

In most tropical developing countries, one of the problems facing aquaculture industry is the pollution of ponds and rivers with pesticides. Chemicals such as diazinon, an organophosphate pesticide, originating from agricultural activity enter the aquatic environment through atmospheric deposition, surface run-off or leaching. Pollutants enter the food chain through accumulation in soft bottom sediment and aquatic organisms. However, information on how these pesticides affect inhabiting organisms is often not available. In a triplicate experimental set-up, seventy-two (72) apparently healthy catfish comprising adult and juvenile of both sexes were therefore exposed to a previously determined no effect concentration (0.405 ppm) of diazinon. Another set of fish was exposed to 0.0625 μg sodium arsenite, a known clastogen, which was used as the positive control, while another set of catfish exposed to the culture water alone was the negative control. Adults and juveniles were exposed separately to avoid cannibalism. After 48 hours of exposure, micronuclei induction was determined in subsets of experimental groups, while exposure continued for 28 days. Catfish organs were harvested on days 21 and 28 to determine the effect of long-term exposure to diazinon on histology. Water quality was also monitored before and during exposure in the experimental groups. The result established a significantly high mean micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (15.00) in catfish exposed to diazinon suggesting genetic damage (normal is ≤4). The MPE in sodium arsenite exposed fish was 28, while that of the control group was below 4. Effect of sex and age on micronuclei induction was not significant. Histological alteration observed in the ovary and testis was distorted matured cells and extensive testicular degeneration, respectively. The results show that diazinon has clastogenic effect, and may have endocrine disrupting properties because of the histological changes induced in the ovaries and testis.

Influence of Temperature on Mutagenicity in Plants Exposed to Surface Disinfected Drinking Water

Disinfection of surface drinking water, particularly water chlorination, produces by-products with potential genotoxic and/or carcinogenic activity. A study carried out at a pilot plant for drinking water disinfection of lake water revealed mutagenic activity of three different disinfectants (sodium hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide and peracetic acid) in different seasons using in situ mutagenicity assays, both in animal (micronucleus test) and in plant organisms (anaphase chromosomal aberration and micronucleus tests). The effects of the disinfectants appeared to be modulated by the season of exposure. In this study, we tried to understand if (and to what extent) the temperature parameter could actually play an independent role in the registered seasonal variation of mutagenic effects, neglecting the variation of other parameters, e.g. physical conditions and chemical composition of the lake water. Therefore plants (Allium cepa for chromosomal aberration test and Vicia faba for micronucleus test) were exposed to the same disinfected lake-water samples at different temperatures (10℃, 20℃ and 30℃), according the ones registered during the in situ experiment. Long-term expo- sure at the temperatures of 20℃ (both Vicia faba and Allium cepa) and 30℃ (Vicia faba only) to disinfected waters induced clear mutagenic effects. These results show that temperature is an important variable which should be taken into account when in situ exposure of plants is planned for mutagenicity testing. Also, different plant systems clearly show specific temperature ranges suitable for their growth, thereby indicating the need for an accurate selection of the test organism for a specific experimental plan.