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. 2016 Jun 16:3:539-543.
doi: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2016.06.004. eCollection 2016.

Effect of Hecogenin on DNA instability

Marina Sampaio Cruz  1 , Sarah Cabral Barroso  2 , Julio Alejandro Navoni  3 , Maria Madalena Rocha Silva Teles  4 , José Maria Barbosa-Filho  4 , Hugo Alexandre de Oliveira Rocha  1 , Viviane Souza do Amaral  1   2   3
Affiliations

Effect of Hecogenin on DNA instability

Marina Sampaio Cruz et al. Toxicol Rep. .

Abstract

Hecogenin is a sapogenin found in Agave species in high quantities and is responsible for the many therapeutic effects of these medicinal plants. In addition, this compound is also widely used in the pharmaceutical industry as a precursor for the synthesis of steroidal hormones and anti-inflammatory drugs. Despite Hecogenin being widely used, little is known about its toxicological properties. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the cytotoxic, genotoxic and mutagenic effects of Hecogenin on HepG2 cells. Cytotoxicity was analyzed using the MTT test. Then, genotoxic and mutagenic potentials were assessed by comet assay and cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay, respectively. Cytotoxic effect was observed only when cells were exposed to concentrations of Hecogenin equal or higher than 100 μM. Although a lower concentration of Hecogenin caused DNA damage, a reduction on nuclear mutagenic markers in HepG2 cells was observed. The results indicated that Hecogenin treatment generated DNA damage, but in fact it would be repaired, avoiding dissemination of the damage throughout the cell division. Further studies need to be performed to confirm the observed protective effect of Hecogenin against genomic instability.

Keywords: CBMN; Comet assay; Genotoxicity; Hecogenin.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Cytotoxic effect of Hecogenin by MTT test.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Mutagenic effect by CBMN test of Hecogenin. NC: Negative Control; MN: Micronucleus; NBUD: Nuclear Buds; NBRD: Nuclear Bridges.
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