Antioxidative effects observed for harmane, harmine, harmol, harmaline and harmalol clearly depend on the structure and concentration of the alkaloid (Borek ...
Cytogenetic Effects of Crude Extracts of Peganum harmala Seeds and Their Effects on Vicia faba Plants Laila Mekki* Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Suiz Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt. Received September 19, 2013; accepted March 26, 2014
Summary The present study evaluates the genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of the crude water and ethanol extracts of Peganum harmala L. (Zygophyllaceae) on the Vicia faba L. M1 generation. Two types of treatments were carried out in this study. In the first type, the germinated root tips were treated with four dilutions of the water extract and ethanol extract (12.5, 25, 50 and 100%). All concentrations were applied for 3, 6, 12 and 24 h. In the second treatment, soaked V. faba seeds were treated with the same concentrations of the two extracts for 3, 6, 12, and 24 h, and then planted to raise the M1 generation. Root tips were squashed after Feulgen staining, and the prepared slides were analyzed for chromosomal aberrations and mitotic index changes. Significant concentrationdependent increase and duration-dependent decrease of MI were observed with aqueous extracts, while with ethanol extracts, the MI showed concentration- and duration-dependent decrease. The two extracts induced significant (p
