Investigation of the antigenotoxic effect of some species of Sideritis

In this study, the potential antigenotoxic effects of above-ground methanol extracts of Sideritis brevidens and Sideritis libanotica subsp. violascens, two species of the Sideritis plant known for their traditional medicinal use and antioxidant properties, collected from the Mersin region, were investigated using four different concentrations (1,25; 2,5; 5; and 10 mg/mL) against the genotoxic effects induced by the alkylating agent ethyl methanesulfonate. The somatic mutation and recombination test (SMART), also known as the wing spot test, were conducted using Drosophila melanogaster, with two different mutant strains carrying the recessive flare (flr3) and multiple wing hairs (mwh) genes. Transheterozygous larvae aged 72±4 hours were obtained through crosses between these two mutant strains and were chronically fed with plant methanol extracts and the alkylating agent. Preparations from the wings of the adult individuals that emerged from all application groups were examined under a light microscope for different spot types. The plant extracts showed no genotoxic effect at the studied concentrations. However, when applied in conjunction with alkylating agents, it was observed that especially at concentrations of 5 and 10 mg/mL, the rates of somatic mutation and recombination were significantly reduced. The obtained data were statistically evaluated and the results were found to be significant (p<0,05). This study could pave the way for further research into the potential pharmacological uses of compounds derived from Sideritis species and their naturally sourced genetic damage-reducing effects.