Investigation of effect of propolis extract on H2O2-induced DNA damage in fibroblast cell lines by comet assay

Investigation of effect of propolis extract on H2O2-induced DNA damage in fibroblastcell lines by comet assayPropolis is an important bee product, rich of polyphenolic compounds and flavonoids,it has antibacterial, antitumoral, antienflamatuar, antioxidative, antimutagenic properties andchangeable composition according to climate and geography of harvest region, and is used asa natural drug with other useful activites. Biological effect of propolis is predominantlyattributed to its content of flavonoids. Increased reactive oxygen species, decreasedantioxidant enzyme levels and/or defects in DNA repair mechanisms result in oxidative DNAdamage. As a result of oxidative damage, single or double strand breaks, alkali-labile sites,base modifications and sugar-phosphate backbone damage can occur or cross-links betweenDNA and proteins may form. However many methods have been used in genotoxicity studies,comet analysis, a cheap, simple and repeatable method, steps forward other techniques. In therecent study the effect of ethanolic extracts of Trabzon propolis at the concentration of 50?g/mL to H2O2-induced DNA damage was investigated in fibroblast cell lines using cometanalysis. Cells were treated with 50 ?g/mL ethanolic extracts of propolis before, simultaneousand after the genotoxic agent and the % decline of DNA damage was determined as % 96, %98.92, % 99.84, respectively. It was concluded that ethanolic extracts of propolis preventH2O2-induced DNA damage in fibroblast cell lines and might have antigenotoxic activity.Key Words: Propolis, Comet assay, Genotoxicity, Antigenotoxicity, Primary fibroblast celllines.