Turmeric Alleviates Benzo(a)pyrene Induced Genotoxicity in Rats: Micronuclei Formation in Bone Marrow Cells and DNA Damage in Tissues

Research Article
Turmeric Alleviates Benzo(a)pyrene Induced Genotoxicity in Rats: Micronuclei Formation in Bone Marrow Cells and DNA Damage in Tissues

K. Nirmala, Virendra V. Panpatil, A.K. Raja Kumar, N. Balakrishna, R. Balansky and K. Polasa

International Journal of Cancer Research, 2011, 7(2), 114-124.

Abstract

Epidemiological, in vitro and in vivo studies indicate that a plant-based diet can reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases. The mechanisms through which some of the nutrients present in diet might protect against many diseases like cancer are not clear. Therefore, development of biomarkers suitable for investigating the molecular effects of dietary factors in animal and human studies is of great importance. The purpose of the present study was to determine the in vivo genotoxic effects of benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P] exposure in tissues of rats and the protective role of turmeric fed through diet. Rats were divided into four groups of twelve animals each and were fed diets containing turmeric at 1, 3, 5% and a control group without turmeric for a period of one month. At the end of the feeding period, half the animals from each group were given B(a)P (5 mg/rat; intra-peritoneal) and after 24 h all the animals were sacrificed and tissues such as liver, lung, kidney and femurs were collected and analyzed using different biomarkers of genotoxicity and oxidative damage. The results of the study showed that turmeric had no genotoxic or cytotoxic effect but had a protective effect against B(a)P toxicity by modulating the lipid peroxidation, urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and DNA damage. Inhibition of the induction of micronuclei (MN) by turmeric indicates its protective potential against cytogenetic damage.

ASCI-ID: 36-170

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