Genotoxicity of <em>Euphorbia hirta</em>: An <em>Allium cepa</em> Assay

Abstract

The potential genotoxic effects of methanolic extracts of <em>Euphorbia hirta </em>which is commonly used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of diseased conditions including asthma, coughs, diarrhea and dysentery was investigated using <em>Allium cepa</em> assay. The extracts of 125, 250, 500 and 1,000 µg/mL were tested on root meristems of <em>A. cepa</em>. Ethylmethanesulfonate was used as positive control and distilled water was used as negative control. The result showed that mitotic index decreased as the concentrations of <em>E. hirta</em> extract increased. A dose-dependent increase of chromosome aberrations was also observed. Abnormalities scored were stickiness, c-mitosis, bridges and vagrant chromosomes. Micronucleated cells were also observed at interphase. Result of this study confirmed that the methanol extracts of <em>E. hirta </em>exerted significant genotoxic and mitodepressive effects at 1,000 µg/mL.

Keywords

• genotoxicity
• &lt;em&gt;Allium cepa&lt;/em&gt;
• &lt;em&gt; &lt;/em&gt;ethylmethane sulfonate
• mitotic index
• chromosome aberrations