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.
