CRUDE EXTRACTS OF HEPATOPROTECTIVE PLANTS, SOLANUM-NIGRUM AND CICHORIUM-INTYBUS INHIBIT FREE RADICAL-MEDIATED DNA-DAMAGE

The presence of plant extracts of Solanum nigrum and Cichorium intybus in the reaction mixture containing calf thymus DNA and free radical g enerating system protect DNA against oxidative damage to its deoxyribo se sugar moiety. The effect was dependent on the concentration of plan t extracts. However, the effect of Cichorium intybus was much pronounc ed as compared to the effect of Solanum nigrum. These studies suggest that the observed hepatoprotective effect of these crude plant extract s may be due to their ability to suppress the oxidative degradation of DNA in the tissue debris.