Chromosomal Aberration and Mutagenicity Toxicological Studies of Beta-Sitosterol Isolated from Ocimum gratissimum (Lamiaceae)

Abstract

Ocimum gratissimum is an important medicinal plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family. Ocimum gratissimum is a small erect or straggling tree or large, woody, climbing shrub found almost throughout India including Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Stem have been used in antifertility treatment in the indigenous system of medicine, and further clinical tests substantiated their efficacy. The root bark contains diketones, fatty matter, rubber, dulcitol, Beta-sitosterol, phlobatannin and glycosidal tannins. Stem are astringent, they are said to be abortifacient and a decoction is useful in amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea and venereal disease. Ocimum gratissimum and its extracts have been evaluated for number of activities such as anti-inflammatory, cardiotonic, sedative and neuron–muscular activity. Ocimum gratissimum was evaluated with a series of genotoxicity studies in order to confirm the safety of its usage.

Beta-sitosterol from Ocimum gratissimum showed no mutagenicity up to 5 mg/plate when tested with Salmonella typhimurium TA97a, TA98, TA100, TA102 and TA1535 strains with or without metabolic activation. On the other hand, Beta-sitosterol from Ocimum gratissimum showed a significant protective effect against mutagenicity induced by mutagen in S. typhimurium TA98 and TA100 strain with or without metabolic activation. Similarly, in vitro chromosomal aberration assay did not reveal any significant alterations up to 5 mg/culture as compared to the negative control both in the presence and absence of the metabolic activation (S9 mix). The results of these studies indicate that Beta-sitosterol from Ocimum gratissimum is nonmutagenic in Ames test, exhibited protection against the mutagenicity induced by 4-nitroquinolene-1-oxide, sodium azide and 2-aminoflourene in TA98 and TA100 strain and nonclastogenic in in vitro chromosomal aberration study.

Keywords: Beta-sitosterol, Ocimum gratissimum, chromosomal aberration study, mutagenicity, Salmonella typhimurium

Cite this Article

Yuvaraj G, Nema RK, Sripriya S et al. Chromosomal Aberration and Mutagenicity Toxicological Studies of Beta-Sitosterol Isolated from Ocimum gratissimum (Lamiaceae). Research & Reviews: A Journal of Pharmacognosy. 2017; 4(2): 1–6p.