In vitro cytogenetic effects of Andrographis paniculata (kalmegh) on arsenic

In vitro effects of arsenic in human peripheral lymphocytes (HPL) at three different doses – 3.6×10⁻⁴, 1.4×10⁻³ and 0.72×10⁻³ μM for 24 h before harvesting on sister chromatid exchanges (SCE), Cell cycle proliferative index/replicative index (CCPI/RI), %M₁, %M₂ and %M₃, population doubling time (PDT) and average generation time (AGT) were examined. Andrographis paniculata (commonly referred to as ‘kalmegh’) has been used for centuries in traditional Indian and Chinese herbal medicine as a safe, natural folk remedy for assorted health concerns. In the present study, kalmegh (0.01 μg/7 ml culture media) was used along with the highest dose of arsenic; the results showed that arsenic induced increase in these genotoxic endpoints were fairly diminished by kalmegh. In addition, mutagenic in vitro effect of ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS) was used as a positive control in this study. It is thus concluded from this study that Andrographis has a protective role in arsenic toxicity.