Acacia pennata L. leaves: chemical profiling and impact on DNA damage, alteration of genotoxicity—related genes expression and ROS generation in hepatic tissues of acetaminophen treated male rats

From the phenolic profile of Acacia pennata L. leaves hydromethanolic extract, nine flavonoids were tentatively characterized (liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry), of which Kaempferol 3,7-di-O-hexoside, Apigenin 6,8-di-C-hexoside, Luteolin-6-C-pentoside-8-C-hexoside, Apigenin-6-C-hexoside-8-C-pentoside and Apigenin-6-C-pentoside-8-C-hexoside were detected for the first time from the plant. Three doses of the plant extract (12.5, 25 and 50 mg/kg bw/d, four weeks treatment) were used to assess its protective effect against acetominophen induced genotoxicity in hepatic cells of male rats (2 g/kg bw twice per week). A. pennata extract and Acetominophen treated animal groups attenuated DNA damage rates (Comet assay) by 5.6, 6.2 and 6.4% for the three doses, respectively, compared with the acetaminophen treated and untreated groups by 21.2% and 5.8%, respectively. It also decreased DNA fragmentation, significantly down-regulate the expression of p53 tumour suppressor gene and mdr1b multidrug resistance gene [real-time PCR (qPCR)] and ROS generation rates induced by Acetaminophen by 715.4, 453.8 and 376.9% in rats in a dose dependant effect. The results highlighted the DNA protection potential of A. pennata phytoconstituents from drug abuse harmful effects.