Investigation of the genotoxic activity of some anesthetic drugs in human cells using in vitro cytogenetic methods

Genotoxicity is the damage to the genetic material of cells due to interactions with toxic agents. This damage can lead to DNA strand breaks, mutations, and chromosomal abnormalities, which may result in impaired cellular functions and an increased risk of disease. This thesis evaluates the DNA damage induced by various doses of the benzodiazepine Midazolam (100, 200, 300, 400 μg/mL) and the opioid Meperidin Hydrochloride (250, 500, 750, 1000 μg/mL) in human lymphocyte cells. The study utilized the Cytokinesis-Blocked Micronucleus (CBMN) test to determine clastogenic effects and the Comet assay to assess the damage and strand breaks in the genetic code-bearing DNA. The findings indicated that both substances caused dose-dependent increases in micronucleus formation and DNA damage, with significant results observed at higher doses. Midazolam was found to cause more pronounced DNA damage and exhibited stronger genotoxic effects compared to Meperidin HCl. In summary, this research suggests that both Midazolam and Meperidin HCl can exhibit cytotoxic, cytostatic, and genotoxic effects on healthy human lymphocytes, with the severity of these effects being dependent on the concentration of exposure. These results should be supported by further research.