Mutagenic and antimutagenic effects of Heterotheca inuloides

The antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of Heterotheca inuloides have been reported before, nevertheless its use as a possible chemopreventive agent has not been documented. The aim of this study was to evaluate the mutagenic and antimutagenic activities of H. inuloides extracts using the Ames test. Both, the methanolic and acetonic extracts, were mutagenic in the TA98 but not in TA100 or TA102 strains. On the other hand, the methanolic extract reduced the mutagenicity of norfloxacin, benzo[a]pyrene and 2-aminoanthracene. Quercetin, one of the main components in the methanolic extract, also presented a mutagenic/antimutagenic dual effect and is an inhibitor of Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A. The antigenotoxic properties of H. inuloides could be due to the antioxidant properties previously reported and to its CYP inhibitory effect mediated by quercetin. Further studies with in vivo systems will afford information about H. inuloides beneficial and detrimental properties.