Averrhoa carambola L., Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels and Cissus sicyoides L.: medicinal herbal tea effects on vegetal and animal test systems

Since folk medicine has been greatly appreciated for centuries, many researchers decided to study more deeply the curative qualities of plants. In the present study, meristematic cells of Allium cepa L. were used as vegetal test system and bone marrow cells of Wistar rats as animal test system. Both were treated in vivo to evaluate whether the plants Averrhoa carambola L., Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels and Cissus sicyoides L. presented cytotoxic and mutagenic effects and whether they resulted in cell alterations in their morphology, chromosomes or cell cycle division. Herbal teas were prepared as normally done by the population, albeit in two different concentrations, the usual concentration and a concentration ten times higher. Rats were treated with only one concentration of teas. Results showed that teas did not alter the cell cycle of Allium cepa L., with the exception of the 24 hours analysis after suspension of treatment (recovery of treatments), with a lower concentration of Averrhoa carambola. The latter had a low mitotic index when compared to control and to the post-treatment analysis, showing an inhibition of cell division. The three herbal teas neither induced an increase in the number of chromosomal damage in bone marrow cells of Wistar rats nor altered the cell division cycle. Results are important in so far as these plants are used as therapeutic agents.