The current study included the preparation of the aqueous extract of Raphanus sativus (Brassicaceae), commonly known as radish which is widely available throughout the world and has been used in folk medicine as a natural drug against many toxicants. The study was designed to evaluate the in vivo cytogenetic activity of the crude aqueous extract of R. sativus on mitosis on Allium cepa root tips as a plant test system. Root tips of A. cepa were tested for four hours with four concentrations of the crude aqueous extract (0.00, 5, 10, 20, 40 mg/ml). The study included a number of cytogenetic analyses such as mitotic index, phase index, and chromosomal aberration. The data showed that this extract led to reducing the mitotic index (MI) to less than 50%. Specifically, when treated with 10 and 40 mg/ml the mitotic index reached 23.72 % and 41.89 %, respectively. This reduction is considered to have toxic and sublethal effects. The extract caused an arrest of the cells at metaphase (c-metaphase) with a high percentage of 80.76% at 5 mg/ml, along with chromosomal aberrations including sticky metaphase, polar deviation, and bridges in anaphase.

Alhagi maurorum (camel thorn) is a grayish, evergreen, deeply rooting plant that has spiny needle -like branches. In our study, the phytochemical contents of the root ethanoloic extract of A. maurorum were determined by using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Thirty two chemical constituents were identified. We revealed the existence of oxalic acid, anti-2 acetoxyacetaldoxime, sulfone, butyl isopropyl, 2,3-pentanedione, 2-butanone, n,n,o triacetylhydroxylamine. di(1,2,5-oxadiazole)[3,4-b;3,4-e]pyrazine, isobutane,3,4-hexanedione,3-hexanone, pentane, 3-pentanone, 3-butene, 2-thiopheneacetic acid, 2-pyrazoline, 4-hepten-3-onemethylphosphonic acid, butane, propanoic acid, methane, azetidine, heptane, butanoic acid, 4-heptanone, 3,5-dimethyl-4-octane, 3-methoxy-1-pentene, oxirane, 2-undecen-4-ol, 1-heptane, 3- methoxy, acrolein, dimethylacetal, hydrogen azide, ethylenimine, acetic acid, and decane. The results showed that the roots of A. marrourum have active compounds that are known to have anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, antibacterial, anti-ulcerogenic, anti-fungal, anticancer, and anti-malarial activities.

This study was carried out to determine the effects of NaCl (0.00, 50, 100, 150, 180 or 200) mM and two different types of mutagens chemical mutagen ethyl methyl sulphonate (EMS) at 0.5% and physical mutagen UV-B irradiation (40 min time exposure), on mitotic division in two Iraqi rice genotypes Amber 33 (A33) and Amber Baghdad (AB). Different concentrations of NaCl were used. Mitotic index (MI %) was decreased significantly by increasing NaCl concentration, however the highest mitotic index was recorded in mutated genotypes with EMS and UV-B. Different abnormal chromosomes were noticed in mutated plants. Results showed high percentage of abnormal chromosomes in EMS mutated genotypes. In addition no significant differences between genotypes in mean of mitotic index with respect to all experiments.