Phenolic Compounds of Codiaeum variegatum Spirale Lessened Cytotoxic and Genotoxic Effects of Mitomycin C in Mice Somatic and Germ Cells

This study evaluates the chemopreventive properties of phenolic compounds extracted from Codiaeum variegatum (PCCV) against cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of mitomycin C (MMC). Male Swiss albino mice were treated with PCCV and/or MMC, and samples were collected 24 h after the last treatments. We recorded chromosome aberrations in bone-marrow cells and spermatocytes, cell viability and DNA damage (using comet assay) in bone-marrow cells. We observed that the highest concentration of PCCV did not induce cytotoxic or genotoxic effects on mice somatic and germ cells. However, MMC reduced cell proliferation remarkably (p < 0.05), and increased chromosome aberrations and DNA damage significantly. Additionally, PCCV prohibited cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of MMC when administered to animals 2h prior to MMC. Evidently, PCCV induced a significant inhibition (p < 0.05) in the percentages of chromosome aberrations in bone-marrow cells excluding gaps (19.82, 25.23, and 42.34%) and spermatocytes (22.73, 31.82, and 48.48%) at concentrations 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg b.wt respectively. Likewise, PCCV declined tail DNA (%), tail length (μm) and tail moment, and the inhibitory index of tail DNA (%) reached to 89.44% at 500 mg/kg b.wt. In conclusion, phenolic compounds of Codiaeum variegatum reduced the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects that were induced by the mutagenic agent MMC.