Vasiljevic Jovana D, Zivkovic Lada P, Cabarkapa Andrea M, Bajic Vladan P, Djelic Ninoslav J, Spremo-Potparevic Biljana M
Altern Ther Health Med. 2016 Jun;22 Suppl 2:24-31.
Context • Cordyceps sinensis (C sinensis) is a well-known, traditional, Chinese medicinal mushroom, valued for its beneficial properties for human health. C sinensis has been reported to have immunomodulatory, anticancer, antiaging, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Despite potential medicinal benefits, no previously published reports are available about the genotoxicity or antigenotoxicity of C sinensis, as detected by comet assay. Objective • The objective of the study was to evaluate both the genotoxic and antigenotoxic potential of an extract of C sinensis (CS extract) in human peripheral blood cells. Design • The research team designed a pilot study. Setting •The study was conducted at the Center for Biological Research, University of Belgrade, in Belgrade, Serbia. Participants • Participants were 6 healthy individuals (2 males and 4 females), between the ages of 20 and 45 y, recruited on a voluntary basis, who provided heparinized, peripheral blood samples. Intervention • Four concentrations of the CS extract-125 μg/mL, 250 μg/mL, 500 μg/mL, and 1000 μg/mL-were used in the treatment of tested blood cells from the blood samples. Three independent procedures were performed: (1) a genotoxicity assessment, (2) an antigenotoxicity assessment for pretreatment of human cells with the CS extract prior to their exposure to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) (ie, an evaluation of the benefits of the CS extract as a preventive agent); and (3) posttreatment of human cells with the CS extract after their exposure to H2O2 (ie, an evaluation of the benefits of the CS extract as an interventional agent). Outcome Measures • Cells were graded by eye inspection into 5 classes, depending on the extent of DNA damage, representing: (1) class A-undamaged cells with no tail (<5% damaged DNA); (2) class B-low-level damage (5%-20%); (3) class C-medium-level damage (20%-40%); (4) class D-high-level damage (40%-95%), and (5) class E-total destruction (>95%).Results • The CS extract proved to be nongenotoxic because no induced DNA damage was detected at all tested concentrations. For the antigenotoxicity assessment of the pretreatment with the CS extract, only the 1000-µg/mL concentration showed a significant decrease in the number of cells exhibiting H2O2-induced DNA damage. For the posttreatment, the CS extract exhibited antigenotoxic potential by attenuating H2O2-induced DNA damage at all concentrations tested. The evaluation of repair kinetics showed a decrease in DNA-damaged cells 15 min after the application of the CS extract, reaching a maximum potency after 45 min. Conclusions • The results indicated that C sinensis can be used as a postapplicative agent that counteracts the effect of oxidative stress. The resulting reduction in DNA damage might be related to its scavenging properties and stimulation of DNA repair.
背景 • 冬虫夏草是一种著名的传统中国药用真菌，因其对人体健康有益而备受重视。据报道，冬虫夏草具有免疫调节、抗癌、抗衰老、抗氧化和抗炎活性。尽管具有潜在的药用价值，但此前尚无关于冬虫夏草经彗星试验检测的遗传毒性或抗遗传毒性的报道。
目的 • 本研究的目的是评估冬虫夏草提取物（CS提取物）在人外周血细胞中的遗传毒性和抗遗传毒性潜力。
设计 • 研究团队设计了一项初步研究。
地点 • 该研究在塞尔维亚贝尔格莱德的贝尔格莱德大学生物学研究中心进行。
参与者 • 参与者为6名健康个体（2名男性和4名女性），年龄在20至45岁之间，自愿招募，提供肝素化外周血样本。
干预 • 使用四种浓度的CS提取物——125 μg/mL、250 μg/mL、500 μg/mL和1000 μg/mL——处理血样中的受试血细胞。进行了三个独立的程序：（1）遗传毒性评估；（2）在用CS提取物预处理人细胞后再使其暴露于过氧化氢（H2O2）的抗遗传毒性评估（即评估CS提取物作为预防剂的益处）；（3）人细胞在暴露于H2O2后用CS提取物进行后处理（即评估CS提取物作为干预剂的益处）。
观察指标 • 根据DNA损伤程度，通过肉眼检查将细胞分为5类，分别代表：（1）A类——无尾巴的未受损细胞（DNA损伤<5%）；（2）B类——低水平损伤（5%-20%）；（3）C类——中等水平损伤（20%-40%）；（4）D类——高水平损伤（40%-95%）；（5）E类——完全破坏（>95%）。
结果 • CS提取物被证明无遗传毒性，因为在所有测试浓度下均未检测到诱导的DNA损伤。对于用CS提取物预处理的抗遗传毒性评估，只有1000 μg/mL浓度显示出H2O2诱导DNA损伤的细胞数量显著减少。对于后处理，CS提取物在所有测试浓度下均通过减轻H2O2诱导的DNA损伤表现出抗遗传毒性潜力。修复动力学评估显示，应用CS提取物15分钟后DNA损伤细胞数量减少，45分钟后达到最大效力。
结论 • 结果表明，冬虫夏草可作为一种后用剂来对抗氧化应激的影响。由此导致的DNA损伤减少可能与其清除特性和对DNA修复的刺激有关。
