In-vitro Repair Ability of DNA Damage by Anethum graveolens L. Aqueous Extract Using Comet Assay

Aim: the objective stated to assess the geno-repair ability of Anethum graveolens L. (Dill) aqueous extract against DNA damage caused by potassium bromate, a food additive.

Study Design: project has been done at Botany Department, Omer AL-Mukhtar University, Libya. Period from February to August 2023.

Methodology: Alkaline Comet assay was performed on whole blood samples of Ten, young healthy, non-smoking donors.

Results: current data showed that potassium bromate can significantly increase DNA damage after the application of selected doses 1, 1.5, and 2.5µg/ml of KBrO3. In male cells, high significant differences between the control and KBrO3 treated group were achieved, 0.5, 10.64, 29.64, and 82.66% are the averages of Comet DNA for control, low, middle, and higher doses of potassium bromate respectively. Also, 2.8, 8.18, 12.13, and 59.34% were attained in female lymphocytes. Whereas, the aqueous extract of dill significantly repairs the DNA impairment by declining the tail extent toward the control lymphocytes of both genders. The parameters illustrate that dill aqueous extract when applied as protective in males and females (11.88 and 10.5%) was significantly more effective than therapeutic (24.93 and 14.4 %) respectively. Total antioxidant content, DPPH free radical scavenging activity via IC50 value, total phenolic and total flavonoid content of dill extract were measured. The IC50 value was 67.2μg/ml compared to positive control, ascorbic acid (42.80μg/ml). Total antioxidant expressed in percentage was 62.0%, 70.2mg/g of dry weight of extract found to be the total phenolic content and the total flavonoid value was 72.0 mg/g. KBrO3 was determined in bread samples collected from fifteen bakeries at Al-Bayda and Shahat cities, quantities more than the lowest amount that allowed by the FDA and WHO by Ten to several hundred folds.

Conclusion: The findings indicate the potential genotoxicity of KBrO3 to human health because of the DNA damage achieved. Whereas, dill extract has a good anti-genotoxic effect against potassium bromate.