Mutagenic, Anti-Mutagenic and Cytotoxic Activities of Artediffusin (Tehranolide), in vitro, extracted from Artemisia diffusa

Background: Artediffusin is a sesquiterpene lactone with an endoperoxide group which has been isolated from Artemisia diffusa. Artemisia has always been of great botanical and pharmaceutical interest and is useful in traditional medicines for the treatment of a variety of diseases and complaints. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the cytotoxic, mutagenic and anti-mutagenic activities of Artediffusin (Tehranolide) extracted from Artemisia diffusa. Methods: Cytotoxicity was measured using a modified MTT assay on normal human lymphocytes and cancer cells. The mutagenic and anti-mutagenic activities of Artediffusin were evaluated using the Salmonella typhimurium tester strains TA98 and TA100 with and without metabolic activation S9. Results: 28μg/ml concentration of Artediffusin inactivated 77.73±0.78% of HeLa cells activity and 5600µg/ml concentration of Artediffusin inactivated 28.79±1.82% of lymphocytes activity. The maximum percentage of anti-mutagenic activity of Artediffusin was observed in the strain of S. typhimurium TA98, with the presence of metabolic activation S9. Conclusion: Artediffusin may be exploited as a natural anti-cancer and anti-mutagenic agent with low adverse side effects