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Project

Protective effect of South African plants on mycotoxin-induced mutagenicity and toxicity.

Mycotoxins cause animal diseases and decrease production of eggs, milk and meat. Genotoxic or mutagenic effects are amongst the important adverse effects. A mutagenic compound is most often also carcinogenic. Aflatoxins are one of the important mycotoxins and amongst the most potent carcinogens. Other mycotoxins may also be mutagenic and carcinogenic. In this project we intend to evaluate extracts of South African plants as detoxifying agents against the mutagenic effects of mycotoxins. Preliminary research found this to be a very realistic approach which may provide identification of protective substances that can be added to feeds and foods as chemo-preventive measures against the genotoxic/carcinogenic effects of mycotoxins. Extracts of the plants will be prepared and antimutagenic effects will be tested against mycotoxin (such as aflatoxin B1, fumonisin and ochratoxin)-induced mutagenicity. For this, bacteria (Ames test and Vitotox test) or human cell lines (comet assay and micronucleus/cytome test) will be exposed to the toxin alone, and in the presence of extract. The mutagenicity response of both treatments will be compared. The most promising extracts will be fractionated and fractions will again be tested until active compounds are purified. The active compounds will then be quantified in the original extracts, and the well-characterised extracts will be evaluated in vivo in rats for their protective effects against aflatoxin-induced toxicity.
Date:1 Dec 2013 →  30 Nov 2016
Keywords:PHARMACA
Disciplines:Chemical product design and formulation, Biomaterials engineering