Comparative Studies of Antigenotoxic Effect of Tulsi (Ocimum Sanctum) Extract and Catharmrthus Rosettxtract on Allium Cepa Grown in Normal Water

Abstract

The present work is designed to evaluate the antigenotoxic effects of Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) and Periwinkle (Catharanthus rost!us) leaf extract of different concentration (20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, I 00%) prepare from 20% stock solution and kept for 24 hrs. duration on untreated onion root tip cell. At 20% and 40% there is little decrement in mitotic index, but at60% and 800/o concentration the mitotic index is significantly decreases due to decrease in phase population. When the untreated onion root tip is kept above in I 00% concentrated leaf extract there was a lethal effect in phases which leads to the great decrement in mitotic index. Thus, leaf extract ofTulsi and Catharanthus roseus also act as mitotic inhibitor on onion root tip cell at higher treatment concentration with at constant duration. Preliminary findings revealed that both Tulsi and CatharonJhus extracts demonstrated dose dependent nntigenotoxic effects on onion root tips. At higher concentrations, the extracts showed an increment in chromosomal aberrations indicating their negative effect on onion root tip. The mitotic index was also decrease significantly in the treated groups, suggesting less cell division and genomic stability. These results suggest that Tulsi and Catharantlws roseus extracts possess inherent antigenotoxic properties. lt was observed that at 20% and 40% there is less decrement in mitotic index, and in 600/o the mitotic index is significant!) decreases. When the root tip is kept in 80% and 1 000/o concentrated Tulsi leaf extract and Catharanthus extract it leads to maximum decrement in mitotic index. The findings emphasize the potential of these narural products as protective agents at 40 % and 60% even in the absence of external genotoxic agents. Comparatively when we study the effect of extracts, the C. roseus shows more antigenotoxic effects than Tulsi extract. This result also suggest that Tulsi may exhibit stronger antigenotoxic effects compared to Catltarantltu.\ roseus in the onion root tip assay. Keyword: Catharontltus roseus, Ocimum sanctum, antigcnotoxic, Allum cepa, Phases, Mitotic index.