Prevention and Repair of DNA Damage
by Selected Phytochemicals as Measured
by Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis

This section is compiled by Frank M. Painter, D.C.
Send all comments or additions to:    Frankp@chiro.org

FROM:   J Environ Pathol Toxicol Oncol 2004; 23 (3): 215–226

Chakraborty S, Roy M, Bhattacharya RK

Department of Environmental Carcinogenesis and Toxicology,
Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute,
Kolkata, India

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We assessed the ability of some natural products--namely, curcumin, resveratrol, indole-3-carbinol, and ellagic acid--to modify the DNA damaging ability of the alkylating carcinogen N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) in cultured Chinese hamster lung fibroblast cells (CH V-79). MNNG produced DNA single strand breaks in a dose- and time-dependent manner, as observed by increase in the tail moments of the comet, when the cells were subjected to alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis. When the cells were treated in the presence of each of the natural compounds, the DNA damage caused by MNNG was considerably reduced. This effect was found to be dose related. Preincubation of cells with each of these compounds individually afforded significant protection to DNA against damage caused by subsequent treatment with MNNG, indicating a true chemopreventive role of these substances. The most remarkable aspect of the present study was that all four compounds helped in the recovery of DNA damage by accelerating DNA repair efficiency in the damaged cells. This was further substantiated by the observation on unscheduled DNA synthesis. Our results suggest that these agents are chemopreventive by virtue of their ability to protect DNA as well as to induce DNA repair.

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