Abstract

Objective: The seed oil extract of Carapa guianensis has various biomedical applications. Recently this extract was evaluated for expressing great potential as antioxidant on in vivo assays. Besides its safety has been evaluated in several genotoxicity assays, not being toxic in different models of DNA damage. The aim of this research was to evaluate the genotoxic potential of seed oil extract of C.guianensis on peripheral blood leukocytes of Sprague-Dawley rats using the comet assay.
Methods: Five experimental groups were formed consisting of five male and five female Sprague-Dawley rats in each group. A placebo group (2% Tween 65), three dose levels of the extract (400, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg) administered orally for 14 days, and a positive control group treated with cyclophosphamide (CP) at a dose of 50 mg/kg intraperitoneally 48 and 24 h before euthanasia were established. After the experimental period the animals were anesthetized and a blood drop was extracted for performing the comet assay of peripheral blood leukocytes; then the rats were euthanized under ether atmosphere.
Results: The results presented no differences between controls and extract-treated animals of both sexes in the percentage of nucleoids at different levels, arbitrary units and length of DNA migration. However, validating our result, the CP-treated animals showed significant DNA damage.
Conclusion: The seeds oil extract of C.guianensis did not exert genotoxic effect as measured through the comet assay on peripheral blood leukocytes of male as well as female Sprague-Dawley rats.

Key words: Carapa guianensis Aublet; Comet assay; DNA damage; Oil extract