Cytotoxic And Genotoxic Properties Of Saraisa Muntingia Calabura Bark Extract

This study examined the cytotoxic and genotoxic properties of saraisa Muntinga calabura. This quantitative-experimental study used the Brine Shrimp Lethality BSLA and Allium cepa root growth inhibition assays to test its cytotoxic and genotoxic properties respectively. These properties were evaluated based from the mortality rate of the brine shrimp nauplii and the root length inhibition of onion A. cepa after being exposed to varying extract concentrations. In this experiment the properties were assessed by comparing the cytotoxic and genotoxic properties of the different concentrations with the negative control using F-test and LSD pairwise comparison. The test for cytotoxicity revealed that M. calabura demonstrated a moderate level of cytotoxicity against brine shrimp nauplii with a lethal concentration LC50 of 143.598 parts per million ppm. There was a significant difference between the cytotoxic property of the different concentrations of the extract and the negative control. Furthermore the root growth inhibition test revealed the high genotoxic effect of the extract by successfully inhibiting the growth of A. cepa roots. The bioactivity of M. calabura reported in this study is an indication of the presence of potent compounds which are good sources of important drug candidates. Thus the study found the need to investigate further M.calaburas biological properties for its possibility to be a potential drug candidate.