GENOTOXICITY OF SENNOSIDES ON THE BONE-MARROW CELLS OF MICE

Preparations of a number of plants which contain hydroxyanthraquinones as active constitutents are used worldwide for their laxative effect. Anthraquinone glycosides of Cassia angustifolia and C. fistula were i nvestigated for their ability to induce a clastogenic effect on the bo ne marrow cells of Swiss albino mice. The endpoints screened were chro mosomal aberrations and frequency of aberrant cells. Oral exposure to doses of these anthraquinones and their equivalent amount in leaf and pod extracts did not induce significant numbers of chromosomal aberrat ions or aberrant cells. The results indicate that anthraquinone sennos ide B and rhein are weakly genotoxic. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. A ll rights reserved.