Avaliação da atividade mutagênica e genotóxica de ginkgo biloba l. pelo teste do micronúcleo em camundongos

Abstract

Ginkgo biloba L. is a medicinal plant widely used worldwide for the treatment of cerebral insufficiency, vascular diseases and various other illnesses. In the present study, the clastogenic and/or aneugenic activities of G. biloba L. leaf extract (EGB 761) were evaluated using mouse bone marrow micronucleus assay in polycromatic erythrocytes. Groups of five animals were treated with EGB 761 by gavage administration in doses of 50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, and 200 mg/kg. For all the doses, the micronucleated polycromatic erythrocytes frequency (MNPCE) was evaluated after 24 hours of treatment. The cytological preparation was carried out according to Heddle methodology. The cytotoxicity was evaluated by the relationship between the polycromatic and normocromatic frequency (EPC/ENC). The results indicated that EGb 761 did not provoke a significant increase of MNPCE (P>0.05) compared to the negative control group. Cytotoxicity was not observed in all concentrations utilized (P>0.01) compared to the negative control group. Thus, it can be suggested that EGb 761 did not present mutagenic nor cytotoxic effects under these experimental conditions.