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Objective: The present work investigated the protective effect of Ficus carica (common fig) leaves methanol extract against genotoxicity and testicular damage of cisplatin (CP) and identified some of its active ingredients. Methods: Seven main groups were investigated as follows: I. control negative, II. Control plant (600 mg/kg fig, orally), III, IV. Control positive (treated i.p with 10 and 15 mg/kg CP), V-VII. groups treated with fig (200, 400 and 600 mg/ kg) + Cisplatin (15 mg/kg). Results: Ficus carica alleviated the destructive effects of CP in the testis, liver and bone marrow due to the presence of high amount of flavonoids and phenolic compounds. Also it has a normal effect in the tested parameters as compared with the control negative. Chromatographic investigation resulted in the identification of 6 compounds: Catechin, Luteolin-8-C-β-D glucopyranoside, Quercetin, Quercetin-3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, Chlorogenic acid and Kaempferol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside. In bone marrow cisplatin induced significant percentage of chromosome abnormalities, micronuclei in polychromatic erythrocytes and toxicity to cells. On the contrary the two tested doses of cisplatin had a normal effect on spermatocyte chromosomes (germ cells). The dose 15 mg/kg induced an overexpression of the liver genes NF-kB and iNOS as indicated by real-time PCR. Different forms of histopathological alterations and instigation of the expression of TNF-α gene in the testis were detected after CP treatment. Conclusion: Ficus carica is a promising candidate rich in many bioactive constituents and can be used in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs to alleviate their destructive effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The genus Albizia (Leguminoseae) is used in folk medicine for the treatment of a wide range of ailments. Recently, saponins from plant origin have attracted much attention. Saponins are recorded to have a broad range of biological and pharmacological activities. This study was performed to evaluate the protective role of Albizia chinensis bark methanolic extract (MEAC) against the genotoxicity induced by cyclophosphamide (CP) using different mutagenic parameters. Results: The results showed that MEAC induced an inhibitory effect against chromosomal aberrations of CP in mouse bone marrow and spermatocytes. Such effect was found to be significant (p < 0.01) with a dose of 100 mg/kg treated once for 24 h and also after repeated treatment at a dose of 25 mg/kg for 7 days. In sperm abnormalities, the protective effect of Albizia extract showed a dose-related relationship. Different doses of MEAC (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg) significantly (p < 0.01) ameliorated sperm abnormalities induced by CP dose-dependently. The percentage of sperm abnormalities was decreased to 5.14 ± 0.72 in the group of animals treated with CP plus MEAC (100 mg/kg) indicating an inhibitory effect of about 50%. Conclusion: MEAC at the doses examined was non-genotoxic compared to control (negative) and exhibited a protective role against CP genotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 5-FU was demonstrated to be a genotoxic agent. It induced significant increase in micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes, chromosome anomalies (CAs) and also cytotoxic effects in bone marrow cells (somatic cells). It also induced highly significant percentage of CAs in mouse spermatocytes (germ cells) and a dramatic increase in the percentage of morphological sperm defects. • The results clearly indicated that the genotoxicity of 5-FU in germ cells and its effects on sperm morphology are serious and may lead to reproductive toxicity, infertility or heritable defects. • The biosafety of Pentas lanceolata iridoid-rich fraction and its possible protective role in combined treatment with 5-FU are well established in the present work. 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is a widely used antineoplastic drug. In this work, a comprehensive study was performed to detect the extent of chromosomal damage and morphological sperm defects induced by 5-FU in male mice and the possible protective role of the iridoids-rich fraction of Pentas lanceolata leaves (IFPL). Six main groups were examined in micronucleus and chromosomal assays: I- control negative, II- control positive (i.p. treated with single dose of 75 mg/kg 5-FU), III- control plant (orally administrated IFPL, 300 mg/kg, 5 consecutive days), and IV-VI- treated with IFPL (100, 200 and 300 mg/kg, 5 consecutive days) plus 5-FU (i.p. treated at the last day). Samples were taken 24 h post treatment. The study of morphological sperm anomalies, single and repeated treatments were examined and samples were taken after 35 days from the 1st treatment. In bone marrow, 5-FU induced a significant increase in the micro-nucleated polychromatic erythrocytes, chromosome anomalies (CAs) and also cytotoxic effects. A significant percentage of CAs was recorded in spermatocytes after 5-FU treatment reached 22.80 ± 1.32 vs 4.20 ± 0.37 for control (mainly X–Y univalent, 90%). IFPL was recorded to be non-mutagenic in all tests examined. In addition, it alleviated the previous defects in a dose-dependent manner. A significant and dramatic increase in the percentage of morphological sperm defects was recorded after single and repeated treatments with 5-FU reached 13.24 ± 0.24, 30.42 ± 0.32 respectively vs 2.56 ± 0.14 for control. Amorphous head-sperm and sperm with coiled tail were the most pronounced types of abnormalities. Significant protection was detected with the highest tested dose of IFPL. In conclusion: 5-FU demonstrated to be a genotoxic agent. Its genotoxicity in germ cells is serious and may lead to reproductive toxicity, infertility or heritable defects. The results also demonstrated the biosafety of IFPL and its possible protective role in combined treatment with 5-FU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]