Antimutagenicity and DT-diaphorase inducing activity of Gynostemma pentaphyllum Makino extract

The hotwater extract of the herbal tea, Gynostemma pentaphyllum Makino, was not found tobemutagenicinSalmonellamutationassaywithorwithoutmetabolicactivation.However, the extract had both DT-diaphorase inducing activity in the murine hepatoma (Hepa1c1c7) cell line and antimutagenic properties towards chemical-induced mutation in Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98 and TA100. Mutagenicity of aflatoxinB1(AFB1),2-amino-6-methyldipyrido [1, 2-a : 3’, 2’, 3-d] imidazole (Glu-P-1), 2-aminodipyrido [1, 2-a:3’,2’,3-d]imidazole(Glu-P-2),2-amino- 1, 4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido [4, 3-b] indole (Trp-P-1), 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido [4, 3-b] indole (Trp-P-2), 2-amino-3-methylimidazo [4, 5-f] quinoline (IQ) and Benzo [a] pyrene (B[a]P)was inhibited by the extract of Gynostemma pentaphyllum Makino in a dose-dependent manner, but no effect was found on the mutagenic activity of 2-(2-Furyl)-3-(5-nitro-2-furyl) acrylamide (AF-2). However, the extract enhanced themutagenicity induced by 2-aminoanthracene (2AA), and N-methyl-N’-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG).