GENOTOXICITY EVALUATION OF POLYPHENOLIC BIOINSECTICIDE FROM STREBLUS ASPER (PBSA) USING MOUSE BONE MARROW MICRONUCLEUS ASSAY

Isolation of plant-based pesticides gaining recent interest due to the clastogenic implications of synthetic insecticides. The polyphenolic-rich fraction from the stem bark of Streblus asper was proven as an insecticide against Dysdercus cingulatus. This study aims to evaluate the genotoxicity of polyphenolic bioinsecticide from Streblus asper (PBSA)  using the mouse bone marrow micronucleus assay and compare its effect with malathion, an organophosphorus insecticide, and vepacide, a neem-based bioinsecticide. The micronucleus assay was conducted after 24 and 48 hours after the second administration of the pesticides (two doses by i.p. injection for two consecutive days). Swiss albino mice were divided into six groups, each comprising six animals. The first group received dimethyl sulphoxide (Group I – DMSO control), the second group (Group II – positive control) received 100mg cyclophosphamide/ Kg body weight, Group III received 276mg (LD₁₀) malathion/ Kg body weight and Group IV received 1000mg (LD₁₀) vepacide/ Kg body weight. Group V and VI received 500 and 1000mg polyphenolic-rich fraction (PBSA)/ Kg body weight respectively. A significantly higher frequency of micronuclei was observed in malathion and vepacide administered animals when compared to the DMSO control group whereas in the case of PBSA, no significant micronuclei formation was observed. The study concluded that polyphenolic rich fraction (PBSA) fails to influence the induction of micronuclei by proving that it has no cytogenetic toxic potential.