The protective effect of the aqueous extract of Sida acuta BURM.F on lead nitrate-induced genotoxicity

Abstract

This study investigated the protective effective of Sida acuta leaf extracts against the genotoxic effect of lead nitrate, a toxic heavy metal that easily permeate the ecosystem. The genotoxic and anti-genotoxic effects of the aqueous extract of S. acuta on onion cells (Allium cepa L.) was evaluated using the Allium cepa L. assay. Onion bulbs were exposed to 0.25 – 2.5 mg.mL^-1 concentrations of the plant extract for analyses of induction of cytogenetic damage. There was observeda concentration-dependent decrease in mitotic index of the A. cepa roots cells compared to the negative control. Lead nitrate significantly induced chromosomal aberration in A. cepa root cells. This effect, however, was significantly ameliorated by the S. acuta leaf extract. This effect was demonstrated by the lower frequency of chromosome aberrations in lead nitrate treated root cells after exposure to the extract. Furthermore, the extract restricted the extent of lead-induced cytological aberrations in A. cepa. The findings in this study suggested the mitodepressive, antiproliferative and anti-genotoxic potentials of the extract.