Genomic Stability Role of Folic Acid on the Mutagenicity of Phytoestrogens in Drosophila Melanogaster

Abstract

In this study, the potential genotoxic effects of three phyto-estrogens (genistein, quercetin and glycitein) whose biological effects bear similarities in natural and cultured plants which are used in feeding animals and human beings, and antimutagenic effects of folic acid were researched via using Drosophila wing SMART. We worked on four concentrations of each of the three phyto-estrogens whose genotoxic effects were researched. In our study also we applied by far the highest dosage of these phyto-estrogens, which is 10 µM, together with the 10 µM dosage of folic acid on the larva in the same feeding environment. The wing preparations of the obtained individuals were prepared for normal wing and serrate wing phenotype. As a result of the applications glycitein yielded in all concentrations either negative or inconclusive genotoxicity. However the other two phytoestrogens on the whole showed positive genotoxicity depending on the increase in concentration. Total mutation frequency for normal wing phenotype the order of the genotoxicity was: quercetin 0.89 %, genistein 0.58 % and glycitein 0.19 %. When these phytoestrogens were applied together with the folic acid, total mutation frequency decreased, respectively for quercetin 0.46 %, genistein 0.28 % and glycitein 0.16 %. The negative or positive genotoxic effects of the plant estrogens used in this study were determined and it was found out that folic acid is anti-genotoxic against these effects.

Keywords: Drosophila melanogaster, folic acid, genomic stability, phytoestrogens, SMART.