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. 2012 Feb;2(2):109-17.
doi: 10.1016/S2221-1691(11)60203-7.

Evaluation of antigenotoxic effects of carotenoids from green algae Chlorococcum humicola using human lymphocytes

S Bhagavathy  1 , P Sumathi
Affiliations

Evaluation of antigenotoxic effects of carotenoids from green algae Chlorococcum humicola using human lymphocytes

S Bhagavathy et al. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2012 Feb.

Abstract

Objective: To identify the available phytochemicals and carotenoids in the selected green algae and evaluate the potential genotoxic/antigenotoxic effect using lymphocytes.

Methods: Organic solvent extracts of Chlorococcum humicola (C. humicola) were used for the phytochemical analysis. The available carotenoids were assessed by HPLC, and LC-MS analysis. The genotoxicity was induced by the benzo(a)pyrene in the lymphocyte culture, the genotoxic and antigenotoxic effects of algal carotenoids with and without genotoxic inducer were evaluated by chromosomal aberration (CA), sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and micronucleus assay (MN).

Results: The results of the analysis showed that the algae were rich in carotenoids and fatty acids. In the total carotenoids lutein, β-carotene and α-carotene were found to be present in higher concentration. The frequency of CA and SCE increased by benzo(a)pyrene were significantly decreased by the carotenoids (P<0.05 for CA, P<0.001 for SCE). The MN frequencies of the cells were significantly decreased by the treatment with carotenoids when compared with the positive controls (P<0.05).

Conclusions: The findings of the present study demonstrate that, the green algae C. humicola is a rich source of bioactive compounds especially carotenoids which effectively fight against environmental genotoxic agents, the carotenoids itself is not a genotoxic substance and should be further considered for its beneficial effects.

Keywords: Antigenotoxicity; Benzo(a)pyrene; Carotenoids; Chlorococcum humicola; Chromosomal aberration; Genotoxicity; Green algae; Micronucleus assay; Sister chromatid exchange.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest statement: We declare that we have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. HPLC profile of carotenoids from C. Humicola extract.
1: violaxanthin; 2: astaxanthin; 3: lutein; 4: zeaxanthin; 5: α-carotene; 6: β-carotene.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.. LC-MS profile of carotenoids from C. humicola extract.
1: violaxanthin; 2: astaxanthin; 3: lutein; 4: zeaxanthin; 5: α-carotene; 6: β-carotene.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.. Effect of total carotenoids from C. humicola on CA in human lymphocytes.
AC: Acentric; DC: Dicentric; TC: Tricentric.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.. SCE on treatment of total carotenoids from C. humicola in human lymphocute culture.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.. Effect of total carotenoids from C. humicola on micronucleus in human lymphocyte.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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