Evaluation of Effect of Curcumin and Elagic Acid on Lucidin- Induced DNA Damage on Human Peripheral Lymphocytes by Comet Assay

Lucidin is an anthraquinone derivative metabolite obtained from the root dye plant and used as a dyestuff. Curcumin and ellagic acid are the polyphenol group antioxidants that have recently gained popularity. In this study, the antigenotoxic effects of ellagic acid and curcumin against possible genotoxicity of lucidin in human peripheral blood lymphocytes were investigated with the comet assay, which is called a single cell gel electrophoresis test method. In the study, negative control (10% DMSO), positive control (EMS; 1 mM), lucidine (LUC; 200 µM), ellagic acid (EA; 50 and 100 µM), curcumin (CUR; 0.1 and 1 µM), LUC +EA, LUC+CUR, and LUC+EA+CUR groups were used. Cells treated with LUC, EA, and CUR separately and in combination for 24 hours were analyzed by alkaline comet assay. The mean percentage of damaged cells, genetic damage index, tail length, tail DNA density (%), and tail moment were found by counting cells under a fluorescent microscope. The data were compared with the negative control group using the SPSS package program. Genetic damage index, percentage of damaged cells, tail length, and tail moment parameters increased significantly in the LUC group compared to the control. While these values were lower in all EA and CUR groups compared to the control, it was observed that they approached the control in the LUC+EA, LUC+CUR, and LUC+EA+CUR combination groups. As a result, it has been observed that LUC has a toxic effect by creating DNA damage in human peripheral blood lymphocytes, and combination applications of EA and CUR reduce LUC toxicity with an antigenotoxic effect. Thus, an evaluation was made that EA and CUR have DNA protective properties.