Atividade citotóxica, genotóxica e mutagênica de extratos de Arrabidaea chica (Humb. & Bonpl.) e Justicia rubrobracteata (Alcantara & G. Soares) sobre o teste Allium cepa.

Abstract

Medicinal plants are widely used in the treatment of various diseases, although some substances may contain cytotoxic, genotoxic and mutagenic substances, requiring studies to identify these properties. Among Brazilian plants, Arrabidaea chica, from the Bignoniaceae family, stands out, recognized for its medicinal properties in the treatment of diarrhea, skin diseases, intestinal colic, anemia and wound healing. Another relevant family is the Acanthaceae, especially the genus Justicia, in which a new species was recently discovered, Justicia rubrobracteata, which has not yet been studied regarding its therapeutic properties or safety. This work aimed to evaluate the cytotoxic, genotoxic and mutagenic activity of extracts of Arrabidaea chica and Justicia rubrobracteata through the Allium cepa test. To this end, aqueous extracts were prepared in different concentrations, by infusion, decoction and maceration (for Arrabidaea chica) and by infusion alone (for Justicia rubrobracteata). The tests were continuous using distilled water as a negative control and metamizole as a positive control. By analyzing the mitotic index, it was possible to investigate the cytotoxicity of the extracts, while the genotoxicity was evaluated through microscopic analyses. The results revealed cytotoxicity in the extracts of Arrabidaea chica and Justicia rubrobracteata, evidenced by the decrease in the cell division rate. Arrabidaea chica did not demonstrate a genotoxic or mutagenic effect in the Allium cepa test. However, Justicia rubrobracteata presented a genotoxic effect, with cells with nuclear button, nuclear lesion, fragmented nucleus, apoptotic bodies, morphological changes, nuclear rupture and elongated nucleus being observed. No mutagenic activity was observed due to the absence of micronuclei. Therefore, this research highlights not only the results obtained, but also highlights the importance of future investigations, strengthening the understanding of these specific plants and providing broader guidance on the safe use of medicinal plants in traditional medicine. Thus, the discoveries made in this work on extracts of Arrabidaea chica and Justicia rubrobracteata open new perspectives for their biotechnological application in the treatment of various diseases. Despite the overwhelming results, more studies are still needed on the properties of these plants.