Investigation of genotoxic activity of trans-dehydrocrotonin, a clerodane diterpene from Croton cajucara

The genotoxic action of three doses of trans-dehydrocrotonin (t-DCTN), an a ctive ingredient obtained from the bark extracts of an Amazon native plant, Croton cajucara, were examined in Swiss mouse bone marrow cells in vivo, s ubmitted to acute intraperitoneal treatment, by micronucleus (MN) and chrom osomal aberration (CA) tests. The statistical tests (Anova and Tukey) made to compare the results obtaine d in each of the three doses of t-DCTN with the negative-control group show ed that the frequencies of MN and mitotic index were equal to the negative- control and that the frequencies of CA were lower than that observed in the negative-control. Therefore, based on our results it can be said that t-DCTN is not genotoxic nor cytotoxic to mouse bone marrow cells, submitted to acute intraperitone al treatment in vivo. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.