[Screening substances derived from cultures of medicinal plants for antimutagenic activity in the Escherichia coli-bacteriophage lambda system].

In Escherichia coli--bacteriophage lambda system protective properties of the extracts derived from the biomass of cultured Panax ginseng, Polyscias filicifolia, Rhodiola rosea, Ungernia victoris cells, and those from intact Rhodiola roots have been studied. Escherichia coli--bacteriophage lambda system responsiveness was found to vary with the test-object state, namely: the deleted bacteriophage form (lambda-4) as well as previously mutagenized bacteriophage were more sensitive to the mutagenic and antimutagenic influence versus the native bacteriophage lambda +. The contribution of extracts in the induction and realization of the lethal injuries in phages caused by nitrite acid in extracellular phage (conditions in vitro) was estimated thus enabling to discriminate between the protective and antimutagenic extract activities. Protective extract effect in the given test-system appeared to be higher their antimutagenic action. With the most responsive bacteriophage variant the extracts from the biomass of cultured Rh. rosea and P. filicifolia cells showed high protective and somewhat lower antimutagenic activities. With other phages significant antimutagenic potential of extracts was demonstrated, which by their protective effect could be arranged in a raw as follows U. victoris > P. ginseng > P. filicifolia. The primary screening for the antimutagenic effect of preparations in the prokaryotic systems could be reduced to the investigation of their effects on the object inactivation exposed to the mutagen in vitro.