Antigenotoxic and Antimutagenic Effects of Andrographis paniculata, a Traditional Medicinal Herb against Genotoxicity of Cyclophosphamide: An In Vitro Study on Human Peripheral Lymphocytes

Andrographis paniculata (family: Acanthaceae) is a medicinal herb—used in Indian system of medicine (Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani), traditional and folk systems to treat various illnesses. This study examined the phytochemical constituents of ethanol extract from A. paniculata and its protective effect against genotoxicity caused by cyclophosphamide (CPA). Phytochemical screening and estimation of total phenolic content were analyzed using standard methods. The bioactive components from the ethanol extract of A. paniculata (EAP) were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. To investigate the protective effect of EAP against CPA-induced genotoxicity, human peripheral lymphocyte cultures were used. To test the antigenotoxic and antimutagenic effects of EAP, lymphocytes were treated with different concentrations of extract (50∼250 mg/mL) alone and co-treated along with CPA+EAP for 48 h. The cells were analyzed for structural chromosomal aberrations (CAs) and sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) in control, CPA treated, and CPA+ EAP co-treated lymphocytes. Results of the study revealed that the lymphocyte cultures which had 48 h continuous exposure to EAP (50∼250 mg/mL) did not show any significant changes in CAs and SCE frequencies. These results substanti-ate the antimutagenic nature of the extract. Furthermore, the lymphocytes co-treated with CPA along with extract showed a significant reduction in CAs (reduced from 26.50±2.50% to 11.00±1.00%) and SCEs (reduced from 9.92±0.63 per cell to 4.56±0.18 per cell). These results suggest that A. paniculata is protective against CPA induced genotoxicity and put forward its possible use as a supplement with chemotherapeutic drugs.