Antimutagenic activity of aqueous extracts and essential oil isolated from Myrtus communis
Hayder, N.; Kilani, S.; Abdelwahed, A.; Mahmoud, A.; Meftahi, K.; Ben Chibani, J.; Ghedira, K.; Chekir-Ghedira, L.
Die Pharmazie 58(7): 523-524
2003
ISSN/ISBN: 0031-7144 PMID: 12889542 Document Number: 552913
The antimutagenic effects of the aqueous extract, the total flavonoid oligomer (OFT) extract and essential oil (EO) of M. communis leaves collected from Tunisia, were tested against aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in the Salmonella typhimurium TA100 and TA98 assays. The antimutagenic activity of the OFT extract was lower (92.3%) compared to the mutagenicity inhibition rate obtained with the aqueous extract (99.2%). This result correlated with the chemical composition of the two extracts, revealing the presence of important quantities of tannins and flavonoids in the aqueous extract. The OFT extract contained a lower quantity of tannins and approximately the same quantity of flavonoids compared to the aqueous extract. The EO showed an antimutagenic effect against the indirectly acting mutagen AFB1, although a large excess quantity was necessary. The antimutagenic effect of the EO nearly disappeared when a large excess of this extract was added to the assay system (5.2% with 3200 micro g/plate). The EO contained neither tannins nor flavonoids, which could explain its low antimutagenic effect.