Acacia pennata L. leaves: chemical profiling and impact on DNA damage, alteration of genotoxicity—related genes expression and ROS generation in hepatic tissues of acetaminophen treated male rats

EL-Taher, Eman M. M.; El-Sherei, Moshera M.; El Dine, Riham Salah; ElNaggar, Dina M.Y.; Khalil, Wagdy K. B.; Kassem, Salwa M.; Elkhateeb, Ahmed; Kassem, Mona E. S.

From the phenolic profile of Acacia pennata L. leaves hydromethanolic extract, nine flavonoids were tentatively characterized (liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry), of which Kaempferol 3,7-di-O-hexoside, Apigenin 6,8-di-C-hexoside, Luteolin-6-C-pentoside-8-C-hexoside, Apigenin-6-C-hexoside-8-C-pentoside and Apigenin-6-C-pentoside-8-C-hexoside were detected for the first time from the plant. Three doses of the plant extract (12.5, 25 and 50 mg/kg bw/d, four weeks treatment) were used to assess its protective effect against acetominophen induced genotoxicity in hepatic cells of male rats (2 g/kg bw twice per week). A. pennata extract and Acetominophen treated animal groups attenuated DNA damage rates (Comet assay) by 5.6, 6.2 and 6.4% for the three doses, respectively, compared with the acetaminophen treated and untreated groups by 21.2% and 5.8%, respectively. It also decreased DNA fragmentation, significantly down-regulate the expression of p53 tumour suppressor gene and mdr1b multidrug resistance gene [real-time PCR (qPCR)] and ROS generation rates induced by Acetaminophen by 715.4, 453.8 and 376.9% in rats in a dose dependant effect. The results highlighted the DNA protection potential of A. pennata phytoconstituents from drug abuse harmful effects.