Toxicogenetic profile of rats treated with aqueous extract from Morinda citrifolia fruits

Abstract

Morinda citrifolia ( (Family: Rubiaceae) ) is extensive ly use d in traditional med icine due to its anti - inflammatory, antimicrobial, antitumoral , and anti - hypertensive act ivities . However, t here is no substantial data about hepatotoxic and toxicogenetic effects . This study evaluated bioch emical changes and hepatotoxic, genotoxic , and mu tagenic effects of aqueous extract of the fruit of M. citrifolia (AEMC) in liver, bone marrow , and peripheral blood cells. A nimals ( Rattus novergicus , 5 males and 5 females) were divided into negative control , positive control ( C yclophosphamid e 25 mg/kg ) , and AEMC (2.5, 5 , and 10 mg/kg , by gavage ) . AEMC induced increase of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), especially at 10 mg/kg in female (174.8 ± 50.7, 221.4 ± 24.6 , and 174.7 ± 14.3 U/L) and m ale ( 156.5 ± 21.6, 183.7 ± 21.5 , and 147.3 ± 17.8 U/L) ( p <0.05). Histological analysis of livers showed inflammatory cell infiltrati on , nuclear fragmentation, microvacuolization, cellular swelling, points of inflammatoy necrosis , and discrete microvesicula r steatosis. DNA damage in hepatocytes w as found in both genders, mainly at 10 mg/kg (Frequency of Damage: 78.1 ± 4.5 and 70.4 ± 7.3%; Index of Damage: 107.6 ± 14.2 and 136.0 ± 26.9 for male and female, respectively). Similar results were observed in bone marrow cells . The AEMC 5 and 10 mg/kg induced micronucleus formation (4.4 ± 0.8 and 7.8 ± 1.1; 7.4 ± 1.1 and 9.6 ± 1.4 for peripheral blood and bone marrow cells, respectively) ( p <0.05). These findings suggest clastogenic and/or aneugenic effects and genet ic instability activated by AEMC , indicating precaution regarding the consumption of formulations or folk preparations based on this plant.