Genotoxicity and cytotoxicity studies of Averrhoa bilimbi, Cosmos caudatus and Pereskia bleo extract / Deborah David Henry

Malaysia is rich with many medicinal plants and fruits which are well known for its traditional medicinal value. Some of these plants even contributed in healing and providing ailments towards certain diseases. Recent interest in the health-promoting properties of these Malaysian plants has been based on facts about their benefits in health. However, insufficient scientific information is available to support these facts. The overall objectives of this study were to evaluate and investigate the mutagenicity, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of these three species of selected Malaysian plants (Averrhoa bilimbi, Cosmos caudatus and Pereskia bleo). These tests included the mutagenicity test performed based on OECD guidelines section #471 that was proposed by Maron and Ames (1983), in vitro micronucleus test subjected to OECD guidelines #487using Chinese hamster lung cell (V79) and neutral red uptake cytotoxicity assay using normal mouse fibroblast cell (NIH/3T3). In bacterial reverse mutation test, A.bilimbi fruit extracts, C. caudatus and P. bleo plant extracts were treated onto Salmonella typhimurium strains (TA98, TA100, TA1535, and TA1537).