Biological assays are widely used to monitor toxic and allelopathic substances. The present study aimed to evaluate the allelopathic, genotoxic, and antiproliferative potential of aqueous extracts of Psychotria brachypoda (Müll. Arg.) Britton and Psychotria birotula Smith & Downs in two concentrations on the germination and cell division of Eruca sativa Hill. seeds. The biological assay was conducted in a controlled growth chamber. For monitoring the allelopathic effect, the following variables were evaluated: total number of germinated seeds, seedling root length, germination velocity index, and germination percentage. The means were compared using the Tukey test and orthogonal contrasts were undertaken to better compare the variables. To evaluate the antiproliferative and genotoxic effects, seedling roots were collected and the squashing technique was followed for preparation of slides. The results of the present study demonstrated that the medicinal species Psychotria brachypoda and Psychotria birotula inhibited root growth, germination velocity index, and germination percentage in seeds of arugula, in addition to inhibiting cell division and inducing chromosomal alterations in Eruca sativa. We conclude that the studied species have alellopathic, genotoxic, and antiproliferative effects on Eruca sativa in both concentrations studied.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antiproliferative and antigenotoxic activity of Sambucus australis Cham. & Schltdl. aqueous extracts on the cell cycle of Allium cepa L. as well as determine the phenolic compounds in such extracts. S. australis inflorescences and leaves of two accessions were used for aqueous extract preparation at concentrations: 0.003 g/ml and 0.012 g/ml. A. cepa bulbs were rooted in distilled water and, subsequently, placed in treatments for 24 hours. Rootlets were collected and fixed in modified Carnoy's solution for 24 hours and kept. The squash technique was performed for slide preparation. Root tips were smashed and stained with 2% acetic orcein, and a total of 4000 cells per treatment were analyzed. The phenolic compounds were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography and data was analyzed using the Scott-Knott test. The results show that S. australis aqueous extracts have antiproliferative potential. Besides, the extracts prepared from S. australis leaves of both accessions at a concentration of 0.012 g/ml have shown antigenotoxic activity. The phytochemical analysis allowed us to determine the presence of flavonoids and phenolic acids, of which kaempferol and chrologenic acid were the most predominant compounds in the extracts from the inflorescences and leaves, respectively.

RESUMO:A espécie Polygonum punctatum Elliott (Polygonaceae) é amplamente utilizada pela população como planta medicinal. O objetivo deste trabalho é o de avaliar o potencial genotóxico e mutagênico de P. punctatum utilizando raízes de bulbos e radículas em sementes germinadas de Allium cepa através do teste in vivo, e realizar comparações da extração do material vegetal por calor (infusões) e extração a frio (extrato). Para isso, foram preparadas dois tipos de soluções, infusões e extratos foliares de P. punctatum, em duas concentrações 0,4 g mL -1 e 2,4 g mL -1 . A infusão foi preparada pela adição das folhas secas em água destilada fervente (100ºC), permanecendo por 10 minutos enquanto o extrato foi preparado através da maceração das folhas secas em água destilada fria. Para o teste em A. cepa foram utilizados, para cada tratamento, seis grupos de quatro bulbos e seis caixas gerbox com 50 sementes em cada caixa. Duas lâminas para cada tratamento foram obtidas através da técnica de esmagamento das raízes e coradas com orceína acética 2%. Foram contadas 2000 células por grupo de bulbos e 3000 células por grupo de sementes, observando-se a ocorrência de interrupções em metáfases, alterações cromossômicas estruturais, bem como a inibição ou aumento da divisão celular. Os valores do índice mitótico foram calculados e analisados estatisticamente pelo Teste χ 2 (p≤0,05). Os resultados demonstraram que as infusões e os extratos de folhas apresentaram redução nos valores de índices mitóticos nas concentrações utilizadas em relação ao controle em água destilada. Foram identificadas alterações cromossômicas na divisão celular, tais como pontes anafásicas, em todas as concentrações de infusões e extratos indicando assim que P. punctatum possui atividade antiproliferativa e genotóxica. Palavras-chave:Polygonum punctatum, genotoxicidade, plantas medicinais, Allium cepa.ABSTRACT: Genotoxic and antiproliferative action of Polygonum punctatum Elliott (Polygonaceae) on the cell cycle of Allium cepa L. The species Polygonum punctatum Elliott (Polygonaceae) is widely used by the Brazilian population as a medicinal plant. The aims of this study are to evaluate the genotoxic and mutagenic potential of P. punctatum, using its root bulbs and rootlets in germinated seeds of Allium cepa by in vivo testing, and to compare the extraction of plant material by heat (infusions) and cold (extract). Thus, two types of solutions -infusions and leaf extracts -of P. punctatum were prepared at the two concentrations of 0.4 g ml -1 and 2.4 g mL -1 . The infusion was prepared by addition of dry leaves in boiling distilled water (100°C), remaining for 10 minutes, while the extract was prepared by maceration of dried leaves in cold distilled water. For the A. cepa, we used for each treatment six groups of six bulbs and six seedling boxes with 50 seeds each. Two slides for each treatment were obtained by the technique of crushing the roots, and they were stained with 2 % acetic orcein. For the analysis, 2000 cells per group of bulbs and 3000 cells per...

ABSTRACT:The species Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck (orange) is used in folk medicine as an infusion (tea) for the treatment of nerve irritation, insomnia, spasms, whooping cough, flue, and gastrointestinal problems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antiproliferative and genotoxic potential of aqueous extracts of C. sinensis testing by Allium cepa L., as well as to determine the components in the complex mixture (tea). Leaves from two populations of this species were used in the preparation of infusions at two concentrations: 6g.L -1 and 24g.L -1 , besides using distilled water as a negative control and 9.6% glyphosate as a positive control. Six groups of four bulbs of A. cepa were used, each group corresponding to one of the treatments. The bulbs were rooted in distilled water and then transferred to the respective treatments where they remained for 24 hours (the bulbs of the negative control remained in distilled water). The rootlets were collected, fixated in ethanol-acetic acid (3:1) for 24 hours and stored in 70% alcohol. 4,000 cells were analyzed per group of bulbs, and the calculated mitotic indices were submitted to statistical analysis using the χ 2 test. The aqueous extracts of C. sinensis have as main components flavonoids and phenolic acids. The values of the mitotic index decreased with increasing concentration of the extracts relative to the control in water. The results indicated that the orange aqueous extracts in the studied concentrations in both populations have antiproliferative and genotoxic effects on the cell cycle of A. cepa.

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