Study on Mutagenicity of Enphorbia lunulata Bge Decoction in Vitro

[Objective] To assay the mutagenicity of Enphorbia lunulata Bge decoction and to modify the Ames test for evaluating the mutagenicity of herbal medicine samples in vitro. [Method] The mutagenicity of E. lunulata decoction was assayed by standard Ames test. The teratogenicity was done by mammalian bone marrow chromosomal aberration test. In modified Ames test system, the influence of histidine in E.lunulata decoction was excluded by additional negative control, in which the test medium was supplied with histidine (histidine amount equaled to the histidine in different concentration of E.lunulata decoction). [Result] The mutagenicity of E.lunulata decoction was positive in standard Ames test. The teratogenicity of E.lunulata decoction was negative in mammalian bone marrow chromosomal aberration test. By the modified Ames test,the mutagenicity of E.lunulata decoction was negative. [Conclusion] The standard Ames test was not suitable for evaluating the mutagenicity of E.lunulata decoction, but the modified Ames test was. The mutagenicity in vitro and the teratogenicity in vivo of E.lunulata decoction were all negative.