Assessment of DNA Damage, Mutagenesis and Anti-Mutagenic Activity of Unani (Greek) Herbal Medicines

The DNA damaging and anti-mutagenic activities of the aqueous (Aq) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) extracts of Unani (Greek) medicines were investigated, employing sensitive techniques such as single cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay), cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CMBN), plasmid DNA nicking and Ames Salmonella mutagenicity assays. Unani medicines viz. Khamira Abraisham HK. Arshadwala (CCRUM-1), Itrifal-e-Ustukhaddus (CCRUM-2), Jawarish-e-jalinoos (CCRUM-3), Majoon-e-Suparipak (CCRUM-4), Jawarish-e-shahi (CCRUM-5), Khamira Gaozaban (CCRUM-6), Itrifal-e-Kishneezi (CCRUM-7), Majoon-e-Arad-e-Khurma (CCRUM-8), Itrifal-e-shahatra (CCRUM-9), Laboob-e-kabir (CCRUM-10), Jawarish-e-kamooni (CCRUM-11), Majoon-e-suranjan (CCRUM-12) were obtained from the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi. The data revealed that the DMSO and Aq extracts of CCRUM-6 and DMSO extract of CCRUM-8 were mutagenic to Salmonalla typhimurium strains TA104 and TA97a, exhibiting 90%, 89%, and 56%, enhancements in the number of revertant colonies, respectively, as compared to the solvent controls. Human peripheral blood lymphocytes were also used as a model for determining the DNA damage potential of the Aq and DMSO extracts of these drugs. The DMSO extracts of the drugs invariably exhibited more DNA damaging activity compared to the Aq. fractions. Interestingly, the extracts of certain drugs viz. CCRUM 1–5, exhibited strong anti-mutagenic properties, and reversed the damage induced by the known mutagen methyl methane sulfonate. Overall the data suggest that a battery of genotoxicity and mutagenicity end points could be employed for screening of the Unani drugs to ascertain their protective role against known environmental toxicants as well as the toxic and mutagenic profiles. Acknowledgements: Financial support for this work from the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi to JM and Al-Jeraisy Chair for DNA Research, Department of Zoology, and Global Consortium for the Science of Medicinal Plants, King Saud University, Riyadh, KSA is greatly acknowledged.