Antigenotoxic Capacity of Papaver Rhoeas L

Application of exogenic bioactive natural plant compounds with protective, anti-mutagenic and anti-genotoxic effects against various chemical and physical agents is one of the modern approaches for reduction of the mutagenic burden of cells. Objective: The present study aims to provide data on the cytoxic and genotoxic effects of Papaver rhoeas L. water leaf extract and its anti-cytotoxic and anti-genotoxic potential against the radiomimetic zeocin in two types of test-systems Hordeum vulgare and human lymphocytes in vitro. Methods: Mitotic index (MI) was used as an endpoint for cytotoxicity, the frequency of chromosome aberrations (MwA) and the number of induced micronuclei (MN) as endpoints for genotoxicity/clastogenicity. Formation of aberration „hot spots” was also used as an indicator for genotoxicity in Hordeum vulgare. Results: Our results show that Papaver rhoeas L. leaf extract has weak cytotoxic and genotoxic effects depending on the concentrations. Human lymphocytes are more sensitive than Hordeum vulgare. By applying two types of experimental designs with split treatment we found that Papaver rhoeas L. leaf extract possesses anti-cytotoxic and anti-genotoxic potential against the oxidative stress induced by the radiomimetic zeocin in both test-systems. The effect is more pronounced in schemes with experimental design 2 (with 4 hours inter-treatment time between treatments) which may indicate induction of adaptive response (AR). Conclusion: The obtained data suggest that Papaver rhoeas L. leaf extract is a promising anti-mutagen/anti-clastogen with potential for phytotherapy.