Antimutagenic in vitro activity of plant polyphenols: Pycnogenol^® and Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761)

Abstract

Ofloxacin (15 microg/mL) and acridine orange (5 microg/mL) induce mutagenicity by different mechanisms in the photosynthetic flagellate Euglena gracilis. The present study examined whether Pycnogenol (PYC; 5-100 microg/mL) or Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761; 5-100 microg/mL) could protect against the mutagenic effects of each of the mutagens and the potential mechanisms underlying such protection. The highest concentration of PYC and EGb 761 effectively reduced the mutagenic activity of both ofloxacin and acridine orange by more than 99% (p < 0.001). Using luminol-dependent photochemical methodology it was demonstrated that EGb 761 and PYC were effective antioxidants. In addition, as determined by spectrophotometry, PYC and EGb 761 bound acridine orange. Both PYC and EGb 761 have been shown to produce dual antimutagenic effects, as evidenced by both antioxidant and physicochemical properties. The findings suggest that EGb 761 and PYC would thus be suitable for future study, not only as antioxidants, but also as antimutagenic agents.

The Antioxidant and Antigenotoxic Effects of Pycnogenol® on Rats Treated With Cisplatin

“…Although the in vitro antigenotoxic [11] and antimutagenic [12] effects of PYC have been studied, in vivo antigenotoxic effects have not been studied.…”

Assessment of Cytotoxicity Profiles of Different Phytochemicals: Comparison of Neutral Red and MTT Assays in Different Cells in Different Time Periods

“…7,8 Pycnogenol (PYC) is a standardized natural plant extract obtained from the bark of the French maritime pine Pinus pinaster (formerly known as Pinus maritime). 9 PYC has been used in European countries as a dietary food supplement. It has strong antioxidant activity and capacity to efficiently scavenge reactive oxygen and nitrogen species.…”

Research Article In vivo antimutagenic activity of the medicinal plants Pfaffia glomerata (Brazilian ginseng) and Ginkgo biloba.

“…The antimutagenic activity of the EGb761 extract was also evaluated in the photosynthetic flagellate Euglena gracilis (Krizková et al, 2008). In this test, the extract was capable of efficiently adsorbing the acridine orange molecule, which is responsible for inducing DNA damage in chloroplasts.…”