Evaluation of effects of Poincianella bracteosa (Tul.) L.P. Queiroz leaves in Allium cepa and Mus musculus

ABSTRACT

Poincianella bracteosa

(Tul.) L.P. Queiroz. (Fabaceae) traditionally is used in Brazilian medicine to treat catarrhal infections, diarrhea, hepatitis and anemia. We investigated the phytochemical profile, and mutagenicity and anti-mutagenicity of aqueous extracts of leaves of P. bracteosa in A. cepa cells and in mice. We investigated four concentrations of extract for the A. cepa bioassay and three doses of extract for administration to mice. For the A. cepa assay, we analyzed 5,000 meristematic cells to determine the mitotic index, mean number of chromosome alterations and percentage of damage reduction. For each animal assay, 2,000 normochromatic erythrocytes were evaluated per mouse to determine the number of micronuclei and the protective effect of the extract. Phytochemical analysis of the extract revealed reducing sugars, tannins and alkaloids, which likely did not interfere with the cell cycle of A. cepa or cause damage to the DNA of A. cepa or mice. The extract exhibited a protective effect in both organisms.

KEYWORDS:

• Allium cepa
• catingueira
• chemoprotection
• chromosome alterations
• medicinal plant
• mice
• micronuclei
• Poincianella bracteosa (Tul.) L.P. Queiroz

Acknowledgments

We thank the State University of Piauí (UESPI) for the work material and infrastructure. We also thank Dr. Francisco Soares Santos-Filho for taxonomic identification of P. bracteosa.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

Our work was supported by the Institutional Scientific Initiation Scholarship Program of the State University of Piauí (PIBIC/UESPI).