Investigation of genotoxic / antigenotoxic and antioxidant effect of cherry laurel (Laurocerasus officinalis Roem.)

Cherry laurel, grown in Black Sea Region in Turkey, is a fruit believed to be healing effect for some diseases. In this study, genotoxic and antigenotoxic effect of cherry laurel was investigated, which could be protective and curative medically. Chromosomal anormality and micronuclei tests were applied with human peripheral blood lymphocyte cell culture in vitro. Also, mitotic index was calculated for understanding cytotoxic and anticytotoxic effect. Moreover, the value of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were analyzed to detect antioxidant activity of extract by using the supernatant of lymphocyte culture. Futhermore, the effect of cherry laurel on thiol/disulfide homeostasis, an antioxidant system element, was added to this study. Cherry laurel has the ability of antioxidant enzyme activity. This increasing may be caused by enzyme activation or mRNA expresion rises. In this study, it was tested by real time PCR method whether cherry laurel increases the enzyme activity at the molecular level. The doses of cherry laurel were determined as 125, 250, 500 ve 1000 μg/mL for in vitro study. For investigation of antigenotoxic and antioxidant effect, MMC (Mitomycin C) was added to all doses. In both application (24 and 48 h), all doses, positive control (MMC) and negative control (sterile water) were used. In chromosomal anormality and micronuclei tests, there was no significant differences between all doses and solvent control group (p>0,05). In antigenotoxic activity, doses added MMC were significantly lower than positive control (p<0,05). As a result, cherry laurel extract has no genotoxic effect on human lymphocytes and also, has antigenotoxic and protective effect to damage of MMC. According to mitotic index result, there is not cytotoxic effect of cherry laurel extract; in fact, it has a little anticytotoxic effect. Moreover to these results, 500 μg/mL ve PK+ 500 μg/mL doses increases the SOD activity and 1000 μg/mL ve PK+1000 μg/mL GPx activity. There is no significant differences in MDA analyses. Also, positive effect was observed in thiol/disulfide homeostasis for PK+125 μg/mL ve PK+250 μg/mL doses. However, cherry laurel extract has no effect on rising SOD mRNA expression Keywords: Cherry laurel, Genotoxicity, Antioxidant, Chromosomal anormality, Micronuclei, SOD, GPx