Avaliação do potencial genotóxico e mutagênico do ácido caurenóico, um diterpeno isolado da planta Copaifera langsdorffi Desf. (LEGUMINOSAE)

Abstract

Kaurenoic acid (KA) is a diterpene presents in the oil-resin (copaiba oil) from plants belongs to Copaifera spp. As copaiba oil, KA also displayed a great variability of medicinal applications. In the present study, the genotoxic and mutagenic potential of KA from Copaifera langsdorffii on human lymphocytes, human leukemia cells (HL60) and bone marrow cells was evaluated. KA did not show selective action between lymphocytes and leukemia cells, has been induced apoptosis and DNA damage at same magnitude as valuated by bromide etidium/orange acridine and comet assay. Due to this observation, lymphocytes were selected for further experiments. According with comet assay results, more than 80% of lymphocytes DNA damage was repaired after 48 hours post-treatment. Lymphocytes treated with KA (30 and 60µg/mL) showed increases on micronucleus frequencies in relation to negative control group. On the chromosome aberration test, lymphocytes treated at phse G1 and transition phase G1/S showed great sensibility (cytotoxicity and chromosomes aberrations) in comparison to cells treated at another phases of cell cycle. After treatment, any increase of polyploidy cells number was noted. Mices were treated with KA (25, 50 and 100mg/kg), and after 24 and 48 hours, they were sacrificed afterwards with the medulla extraction. This material was submitted to chromosomal damage observations (microniclei) in polychromatic erythrocytes (PCE). A great occurrence of micronucleated PCE was noted only at animals groups sacrificed 24 hours after treatment. The rate between PCE and NCE (normochromatic erythrocytes) was lower for animals sacrificed later. These observations indicating toxicity effects on the bone marrow cells. The mutagenic assay with yeast Saccharomyces cereviseae showed that the cytotoxic and mutagenic effects of KA were more pronounced during exponential growth phase, when the access to DNA is facilitated. KA induced locus and frameshift mutations. Frameshift mutations induced by DNA-intercalanting drugs have been correlated with DNA strand breaks induced by inhibition of DNA topoisomerases. On the DNA relaxation assay, KA inhibited the action of topoisomerase I. This inhibition effect seens to be related to the intercalanting ability of kaurenoic acid between DNA bases of pair. Thus, DNA strand breaks, the occurrence of micronucleated cells and frameshift mutations could be explained by the intercalanting action of kaurenoic acid. And the absence of polyploidy cells suggests that kaurenoic acid did not interfere on mitotic apparatus of cell. In conclusion, kaurenoic acid showed genotoxic and mutagenic effects on all the assays used.