Anticlastogenic effect of Eryngium foetidum L. assessed by erythrocyte micronucleus assay.

The aim of this study was to investigate the anticlastogenicity as well as the clastogenicity of Eryngium foetidum leaf (EF) using the in vivo mouse peripheral blood erythrocyte micronucleus assay. Eighty ICR male mice were fed AIN-76 diet supplemented with ground freeze-dried EF at 0.0%, 0.8%, 1.6% and 3.2% for 2 weeks prior to the administration of both direct-acting, mitomycin C (MMC), and indirect-acting, 7, 12-dimethylbenz(a) anthracene (DMBA) clastogens. Peripheral blood samples were collected from mice just before administration of clastogen and at 24 and 48 h thereafter for MMC. Blood samples were collected at the same times and after 72 h for DMBA. Then, reticulocytes in blood samples were counted using fluorescent microscopy. The results indicated that EF had no clastogenic effect in mice. All doses of diets supplemented with EF decreased the number of micronucleated peripheral reticulocytes in all the MMC-treated groups in a dose dependent manner, but significant reduction was found only at 1.6% and 3.2% EF in the DMBA-treated groups. It can be concluded that EF has no clastogenicity, but possesses anticlastogenic potential against both direct- and indirect-acting types of clastogen in mice.