Protective effects of plicatin B on micronucleus induction in cultured human lymphocytes by different mutagens

Among flavonoids, chalcones have been identified as interesting compounds having antioxidant, antimutagenic and antitumour properties. In this study we have evaluated the clastogenicity of plicatin B on human lymphocytes (whole blood and isolated lymphocytes) and its anticlastogenic activity, in the same cellular systems, using mitomycin C (MMC), radio-mimetic bleomycin (BL) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as reference clastogens. Plicatin B per se resulted cytotoxic at high dose but non-clastogenic. The clastogenic effects induced by MMC and BL were significantly reduced (-33%) whereas with H2O2 the protective effect of plicatin B was observed (-62%) only at the greater H2O2 dose. The anticlastogen effects of plicatin B were effective when the chalcone was introduced in the culture, 1 h before the reference clastogens.