Antimutagenicity and antigenotoxicity of Aloe arborescens Miller and Aloe barbadensis Miller in Aspergillus nidulans and Wistar rats

Medicinal plants such as Aloe arborescens Miller and Aloe barbadensis Miller are used by the general population to treat various diseases. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the antimutagenicity of these two species using a methG1 system in Aspergillus nidulans and the comet assay in rats. The animals were treated with the plants at concentrations of 360 and 720 mg/kg body weight (1 and 2, respectively) by gavage for 14 days, followed by the administration of etoposide on treatment day 8. Blood samples were prepared for analysis of DNA damage. For the test in A. nidulans, the biA1methG1 lineage conidia were treated for 4 h with both plant species at concentrations of 4 and 8% (w/v). Then, they were washed and plated on a selective medium for frequency analysis of survival and mutation. The results of the comet assay showed that both plants were antigenotoxic compared to etoposide, which was not a typical response of methG1 systems, where only the highest concentration of plant extracts usually exhibit beneficial effects. This study demonstrates the potential antigenotoxicity and antimutagenicity of the Aloe plants tested and, therefore, supports their use as a form of preventive therapy and for health maintenance by the population.