Evaluation of genotoxicity of pan masala employing chromosomal aberration and micronucleus assay in bone marrow cells of the mice

Abstract

Pan masala is commonly consumed in south-east Asian and other oriental countries as an alternate of tobacco chewing and smoking. Genotoxic potential of pan masala (pan masala plain and pan masala with tobacco known as gutkha) was evaluated employing chromosome aberration (CA) and micronucleus (MN) assay in vivo. Animals were exposed to three different doses (0.5%, 1.5% and 3%) of pan masala plain (PMP) and gutkha (PMT) through feed for a period of 6 months and micronucleus and chromosomal aberrations were studied in the bone marrow cells. Induction of mean micronuclei in polychromatic erythrocytes (MNPCE) and normochromatic erythrocyte (MNNCE) was higher in both types of pan masala treated groups with respect to control group. Both pan masala plain and gutkha treatment significantly induced the frequency of MNPCE and MNNCE in the bone marrow cells, indicating the genotoxic potential. Furthermore, slight decline in the ratio of polychromatic erythrocytes to normochromatic erythrocytes was also noticed, suggesting the cytotoxic potential even though the ratio was statistically non significant. A dose-dependent, significant increase in chromosome aberration was observed in both types of pan masala treated mice with respect to control. However, no significant difference in micronucleus and chromosomal aberration induction was noticed between two types of pan masala exposed (PMP and PMT) groups. Results suggest that both types of pan masala, i.e. plain and gutkha, have genotoxic potential.

Assessment of Genetic Damage Among Chewers of Mixture Containing Mainly Areca Nut and Tobacco

“…27 Earlier experimental study from this laboratory also observed increased frequency of MN in bone marrow cells of mice exposed to pan masala plain and pan masala gutkha . 28 Bonassi et al 29 also observed that heavy smokers group showed a significant increase in genotoxic damage as measured by the micronucleus assay (CBMN) in lymphocytes.…”

Toxicity of Gutkha, a Smokeless Tobacco Product Gone Global: Is There More to the Toxicity than Nicotine?

“…While in vitro studies have been performed examining the toxicological implications of a variety of ST products [34,35,36] and in vivo animal systems have examined the effects of ST via food or drinking water [31,37,38], oral mucosal absorption of ST, that most closely reflects the human ST experience, has not yet been studied. Another strength of this study is the inclusion of nicotine alone into the experimental design (at approximately the same circulating cotinine level as that produced by gutkha) that serves to both gauge effects of gutkha compared to a known tobacco toxicant and aids in identifying key components that may contribute to the observed effects.…”

Reproductive toxic potential of panmasala in male Swiss albino mice

“…Swiss albino male mice were initially procured from National Center for Laboratory Animal Science, National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, India, and maintained in Institute's Animal house as described earlier (Mojidra et al, 2009). This is a part of a major study i.e., geno-and fetotoxicity of panmasala, which was approved by the Institute's animal ethical committee.…”

“…Panmasala was given in feed to have same route of oral exposure as of human. Selection of the doses for the study was done on the basis of food consumption by human and mice as described earlier (Mojidra et al, 2009). Animals of control group were fed with standard mice feed in similar fashion.…”

“…Sarma et al (1992) have shown that chronic feeding of panmasala to rats impaired liver function, decreased relative weights of the gonad and brain, and life-time feeding of panmasala to mice induced adenoma of prostrate and testicular lymphoma (Bhisey et al, 1999). A preliminary study from author's laboratory reported genotoxicity of panmasala in bone marrow cells of mice (Mojidra et al, 2009) and had also shown long-term exposure of panmasala to mice significantly elevated the sperm head shape abnormality (Kumar et al, 2003).…”