Evaluation of the antimutagenic, antigenotoxic, and antioxidant activities of Eriobotrya japonica leaves.

BACKGROUND

The leaves of Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl. (Rosaceae) are used in traditional medicine to treat inflammatory diseases. However, information about the antigenotoxic and antioxidant properties of its leaves remains to be elucidated.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this work was to evaluate the mutagenic/antimutagenic, genotoxic/antigenotoxic, and antioxidant potentials of aqueous and total oligomers flavonoid (TOF) extracts from E. japonica.

METHODS

The mutagenic/antimutagenic and genotoxic/antigenotoxic potentials of extracts (50, 250, and 500 µg/plate) were evaluated, respectively, by the Ames test with 48 h incubation and the SOS chromotest test with 2 h incubation. The antioxidant capacity of these extracts (ranging from 50 to 700 µg/mL) was tested using xanthine/xanthine oxidase and the deoxyribose assays.

RESULTS

Eriobotrya japonica extracts showed neither mutagenic nor genotoxic effect. The highest protective effect against methyl methanesulfonate and 2-aminoanthracene was obtained in the presence of aqueous extract, with IC50 values of 80 and 140 µg/plate, respectively, against S. typhimurium TA104. Moreover, this extract (500 µg/plate) was also able to reduce significantly the genotoxicity induced by nitrofurantoin and aflatoxin B1 with IC50 values of 140 and 240 µg/assay, respectively. Likewise, aqueous and TOF extracts inhibited xanthine oxidase and superoxide anion formation with IC50 values ranging from 45 to 95 and from 70 to 90 µg/mL, respectively. However, TOF extract is more efficient in inhibiting hydroxyl radical and chelating iron ion with IC50 values of 140 and 400 µg/mL, respectively, when compared with the aqueous extract.

CONCLUSIONS

Eriobotrya japonica prevents the genotoxicity of some carcinogenic substances probably thanks to its antioxidant capacities.