In vitro Cytotoxic and Genotoxic Effects of Methanol and Aqueous Extracts of Gymnosporia Montana Plant

Introduction: Gymnosporia montana Benth. is a medicinal herb which has been valued in Ayurvedic medicine for its hepatoprotective effect. The plant has been studied for its pharmacological, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties, but there are no reports on its genotoxicity.

Aim: Hence, in the present study, two extracts of G. montana (70% methanolic and aqueous) at different concentrations were evaluated for the in vitro cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in Human peripheral blood lymphocyte cultures (PBLC) since these are well-established techniques for the analysis of the potentially mutagenic and carcinogenic chemicals.

Methodology: The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) -2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), Mitotic index (MI), Sister-chromatid exchanges (SCEs), Cell cycle proliferative index (CCPI), Average generation time (AGT) and Population doubling time (PDT) were scored in cultures set up from 10 different healthy donors. The treatment of the cell culture was done employing different extracts of G. montana at three concentrations (1.78µg/mL, 3.57µg/mL and 7.14µg/mL) with control and positive control (Ethyl methanesulfonate [EMS (1.93 mM)]).

Results: The MTT results showed the cytotoxic effect in a concentration-dependent manner in both the methanol and aqueous extract and the IC50 value of methanol and aqueous extract was found to be 2.63 µg/mL and 3.63 µg/mL respectively. The MI (p<.001) and CCPI (p<.05) in both the extracts showed significant values at higher concentration, but at lower and mid concentrations both the extracts were non-significant and the total SCEs, AGT and PDT in all the concentrations showed non-significant results when compared with the control.

Conclusion: These results indicate that the G. montana plant extracts at lower two concentrations showed no cytotoxicity and genotoxicity effects in cultured human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Therefore, we suggest that the plant extract is safe for use at the lower concentrations in traditional medicine.