EVALUATION OF THE GENOTOXIC AND CYTOTOXIC EFFECTS OF LASIANTHERA AFRICANA USING ALLIUM CEPA TEST

Lasianthera africana, a vegetable used for medicine and nutritional purposes was evaluated for cytotoxic and genotoxic potentials using the Allium cepa test. Onion bulbs were exposed to 2.5 mg/ml, 5.0 mg/ml, and 10.0 mg/ml concentrations of Lasianthera africana leaf extract for 72 hours and the roots subjected to macroscopic and microscopic analyses. Tap water was used as negative control and methotrexate (0.1 mg/ml) as a positive control. There was a statistically significant (p > 0.05) inhibition of root growth by the leaf extract depending on concentration when compared to the negative control group. All the tested concentrations of the extract were observed to have cytotoxic effects on cell division in Allium cepa roots. The extract-induced chromosomal aberration and micronuclei (MNC) formation in Allium cepa root tip cells were significant (p > 0.05) when compared with the control group. The extract treatment further induced cell death, ghost cells, cell membrane damage, and binucleated cells. These results suggest that Lasianthera africana leaf extract possess cytotoxic and genotoxic effects on Allium cepa which is as a result of its phytochemical constituents.