Genotoxic and cytotoxic study of Tecoma stans Bignoniaceae.

Tecoma stans (Bignoniaceae) is a central and south American tree used for the control of diabetes. This plant is cultivated in Iraq. The dried leaves were soaked in ethanol and water separately for 3 days then filtered and dried. The genotoxic potential of Tecoma stans was studied by in vivo and in vitro system. This study examined the genotoxic activity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts on bone marrow cells from BALB/c mice through evaluation of mitotic index and chromosomal aberrations and cytotoxic effect of the two extracts on Mouse Embryo Fibroblast (MEF) cell line. No alteration in the total number of chromosomal aberrations or the number of cells with chromosomal aberrations observed and percentage of mitotic index at the concentrations tested remained unchanged. The higher concentrations used of the plant extracts had a cytotoxic effect on the MEF cell line. Both extracts had no significant clastogenic effect in vivo but showed cytotoxic effects on mouse embryo in vitro, caution should be exercised in the use of this substance as a medicine.