Evaluation of the genotoxic potential of the alkaloid boldine in mammalian cell systems in vitro and in vivo.

Boldine is an alkaloid present in Peumus boldus (popularly called "boldo-do-chile" in Brazil) which has healing properties and is used for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. The possible clastogenic effect of the drug was tested in vitro on human peripheral blood lymphocytes by evaluating the induction of chromosome aberrations and sister-chromatid exchanges (SCEs). Cultures from different individuals were treated with boldine at concentrations of 10, 20 and 40 micrograms/ml of culture medium. The effect of the alkaloid was also tested in an in vivo assay using BALB/c mouse bone marrow cells. Boldine was administered to the animals by gavage at the concentrations of 225, 450 and 900 mg/kg body weight. Under the conditions used, boldine did not induce a statistically significant increase in the frequency of chromosome aberrations or SCEs in either test system.