Methanol extracts ofTeucrium arduiniL. andTeucrium flavumL. induce protective effect against mitomycin C in human lymphocytesin vitro

The study was designed to evaluate antigenotoxic effect of methanolTeucrium arduiniandTeucrium flavumextracts against mitomycin C (MMC)-induced chromosome and DNA damagein vitro. Cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) and comet assays were used to investigate effect of plant extracts in different concentrations (125, 250, 500 and 1000 mu g/mL) on human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs). The obtained results showed that the all tested concentrations ofT. arduiniand the highest concentration ofT. flavumsignificantly reduced the MMC-induced micronucleus (MN) frequency in comparison to positive control (only MMC). There were significantly negative correlations between the extracts concentrations and MN frequencies (Pearson,r= -0.905,p = 0.0001 forT. arduini;r= -0.861,p = 0.0001 forT. flavum). The extracts of both plants further lowered the MMC-decreased nuclear division index (NDI) in a dose dependent-manner (Pearson,r= -0.837,p = 0.001 forT. arduini;r= -0.598,p = 0.040 forT. flavum), but significantly only in the highest concentration (1000 mu g/mL). Comet assay showed that extracts reduced MMC-increased genetic damage index (GDI), significantly in the concentrations of 500 and 1000 mu g/mL, in comparison with positive control. Based on our results, it can be concluded that methanolT. arduiniandT. flavumextracts possess protective proapoptotic and antigenotoxic effect which is indication of their medicinal relevance and use in treatment.