Genotoxicity of aloeemodin in vitro and in vivo

https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-1218(95)00084-4Get rights and content

Abstract

The present in vitro and in vivo experiments were undertaken to clarify the genotoxic potential of the hydroxyanthrachinone aloeemodin which can be found in different plant derived products for therapy of constipation. The results demonstrate that aloeemodin is able to induce mutagenic effects in vitro. Positive results were obtained in the chromosomal aberration assay with CHO cells, as well as in the Salmonella reverse mutation assay (frameshift mutations in strains TA 1537, TA 1538 and TA 98). No mutagenic potential of aloeemodin, however, was observed in the gene mutation assay with mammalian cells in vitro (HPRT assay in V79 cells). Each assay was performed in the presence and absence of an extrinsic metabolic activation system (S9-mix). In in vivo studies (micronucleus assay in bone marrow cells of NMRI mice; chromosome aberration assay in bone marrow cells of Wistar rats; mouse spot test [DBA/2J × NMRI]) no indication of a mutagenic activity of aloeemodin was found. Information about a possible reaction of aloeemodin with DNA was derived from an in vivo UDS assay. Hepatocytes of aloeemodin-treated male Wistar rats did not show DNA damage via repair synthesis. All these data suggest that aloeemodin is able to interact with DNA under certain in vitro conditions. However, in vivo the results that were negative did not indicate a genotoxic potential. Therefore, it may be assumed that a genotoxic risk for man might be unlikely.

References (18)

There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (60)

  • Herbal Remedies

    2023, Haschek and Rousseaux's Handbook of Toxicologic Pathology, Volume 3: Environmental Toxicologic Pathology and Major Toxicant Classes
  • Aloe-emodin, a hydroxyanthracene derivative, is not genotoxic in an in vivo comet test

    2021, Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology
    Citation Excerpt :

    Since hydroxyanthracene derivatives, such as aloe-emodin, are essential components of many herbal preparations, based on the possible harmful effect on health identified by the EFSA, the European Commission decided to place aloe-emodin and all the extracts in which this substance is present in Part A (ban on the use in food) of Annex III of Regulation (EC) no. 1925/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council to ensure a high level of health protection in accordance with the precautionary principle provided for in Article 7 of Regulation (EC) 178/2002 (Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/468 of March 18, 2021). Most of the experiments conducted with aloe-emodin in vitro with bacteria and mammalian cells have shown a genotoxic effect (Chen et al., 2010; Heidemann et al., 1996; Mueller and Stopper, 1999), with a reduction of the amount of monomer DNA generated by topoisomerase II, indicating that the compound is capable of inhibiting topoisomerase II-mediated decatenation. On the other hand, most of the in vivo genotoxicity experiments, in which animals received doses up to 2000 mg/kg bw, showed negative results, even if the data were considered by the ANS Panel to be insufficiently reliable since a validated protocol was not strictly followed (Heidemann et al., 1993, 1996; Mengs et al., 1997).

  • A competitive nature-derived multilayered scaffold based on chitosan and alginate, for full-thickness wound healing

    2021, Carbohydrate Polymers
    Citation Excerpt :

    It has been demonstrated that emodin (identified compound 8 in Fig. S1) as one of the anthraquinones derivatives plays an important role in tissue regeneration induced by AV (Jia, Zhao, & Jia, 2008). Even though there are a few reports showed that the oral administration of emodin could be carcinogenic in rats (Guo & Mei, 2016; Heidemann, Völkner, & Mengs, 1996; Program, 2001), a study by Lin et al. indicated in vitro and in vivo anticancer activity of emodin on pancreatic cancer cells via NF-κB inhibition (Lin et al., 2012). More studies are warranted to investigate the possible toxicity of emdoin.

  • Role of anthraquinones in Cassia occidentalis induced hepato-myo-encephalopathy

    2021, Journal of Ethnopharmacology
    Citation Excerpt :

    These investigations reveal that CO seeds could mediate their toxicity in male and female animals via different mechanisms, which needs to be elaborated further through systematic studies for developing a better understanding of toxicity mechanism of CO and devising appropriate gender specific treatment regimen. Aloe-emodin, another AQ, which bears close structural similarity with emodin, showed structural chromosomal aberrations in CHO (Heidemann et al., 1996) and L5178Y mouse-lymphoma cells (Müller et al., 1996). Through an in-vitro unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) test, it was found that treatment of aloe-emodin to rat hepatocytes causes primary DNA damage (Westendorf et al., 1990).

View all citing articles on Scopus
View full text