Abstract

MACEDO DELARMELINA, Juliana; PIMENTEL BATITUCCI, Maria do Carmo  and  DE OLIVEIRA GONCALVES, Jefferson Luiz. The cytotoxic, genotoxic and mutagenic effects of Matricaria chamomilla L. tincture in vivo. Rev Cubana Plant Med [online]. 2012, vol.17, n.2, pp. 149-159. ISSN 1028-4796.

Introduction: Matricaria chamomilla L. is one plant of Asteraceae family, whose common name is white chamomille. Its flowers have different substances with therapeutic properties for healing and prevention of various ailments, among them, gastrointestinal upset, inflammation, stress and hypertension. Objectives: to in vivo evaluate the cytotoxic, genotoxic and mutagenic activity of Matricaria chamomilla vegetal tincture, using the micronucleus assay in rodent bone marrow (n= 6/group) and the Allium cepa L. test. Methods: for the carrying out of micronucleaus assay, 6 experimental groups were formed and administered: cisplatin (positive control), 0.9 % saline solution (negative control), 64 % alcohol (solvent control drug), Matricaria chamomilla tincture at 0,02 and 0,1 µL/g/d doses, equivalent to 20 and 100 drops daily, respectively, considering an adult (75 kg) and the above-clinical dose (400 µL/d). The animals were exposed to 5 days of treatment, and slaughtered on the sixth, with the exception of positive controls. As for the test in Allium cepa, 5 experimental groups were determined, and administered distilled water (negative control), Matricaria chamomilla in concentrations of 1 and 5 mg/mL and 64 % diluted alcohol in the same proportions as the tincture (solvent control drug 1 and 2). Results: the results demonstrated that Matricaria chamomilla tincture was neither mutagenic, genotoxic nor citotoxic at tested concentrations, with the exception of the above-clinical dose, which showed mutagenicity. Conclusions: Matricaria chamomile tincture when administered in concentrations proportional to those prescribed to humans, showed neither cytotoxicity nor mutagenicity in mice and just genotoxicity in Allium cepa, paying attention to its careful use in high quantities.

Keywords : tincture; Matricaria chamomilla L.; cytotoxicity; genotoxicity; mutagenicity; micronucleus; Allium cepa L..

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