Assessment of the genotoxic/clastogenic potential of coumarin derivative 6,7-dihydroxycoumarin (aesculetin) in multiple mice organs

Publication date: Available online 27 January 2015 Source:Toxicology Reports Author(s): Eduardo de Souza Marques , Daiane Bernardoni Salles , Edson Luis Maistro 6,7-Dihydroxycoumarin (6,7-HC) (aesculetin) is a natural and synthetic coumarin derivative with great interest for use by humans due to their potent antioxidant properties. Considering that there are no reports that assess the in vivo genetic toxicity of 6,7-HC, the aim of the present study was to investigate its genotoxic potential in terms of DNA damage in peripheral blood, liver, bone marrow and testicular cells of Swiss albino mice by the comet assay, and its clastogenic/aneugenic potential in bone marrow cells using the micronucleus test. In addition, the ability of 6,7-HC to modulate the genotoxic effects induced by doxorubicin (DXR) also was preliminarily evaluated. Cytotoxicity was assessed by scoring polychromatic (PCE) and normochromatic (NCE) erythrocytes ratio. The test compound was administered orally at doses of 25, 50 and 500mg Kg−1 isolated and simultaneously to DXR (80mg Kg−1). The results showed that 6,7-HC did not induce significant DNA damage in none of the analyzed cells, and also did not show any significant increase in micronucleated PCE at the three tested doses. The PCE/NCE ratio indicated no cytotoxicity. Moreover, the extent of DNA damage induced by DXR decreased significantly only in peripheral blood and testicular cells, and only at the lowest dose of 6,7-HC.
Source: Toxicology Reports - Category: Toxicology Source Type: research