Abstract
Human carcinogens are formed mainly due to the lifestyle and diet that is followed. It is well known that dietary factors play a crucial role in the aetiology of human cancer. The new attractions of drug discovery using natural products remain an important issue in the current herbal medicine research. The present study aimed to evaluate the antimutagenic activity of the water extracts of Doash leaves against several known mutagens, both direct- and indirect-acting, belonging to different chemical classes. These classes are heterocyclic amines (HAs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and nitrosamines. The antimutagenic activity will be determined in Salmonella/microsomal system (Ames) using strains of Salmonella Typhimurium. Four Salmonella bacterial strains (TA98, TA97, TA100 and TA1530) were used in the present study. Results obtained showed that Doash extract possesses powerful antimutagenic properties, which impair the deleterious effects of various chemicals used in this study. One possible mechanism involved in this protection is the inhibition of the metabolic activation of chemical carcinogens to their reactive metabolites. We also suggest that the health benefits of Doash could be derived from the additive and synergistic combinations of the various phytochemicals present in Doash leaves. Other studies should also be conducted to determine the active components of Doash leaves, including macronutrients, micronutrients and other phytochemicals. Clinical studies should be performed before any claims that Doash consumption offers chemoprotection against cancer can be made.