Efeito protetor do extrato de tomate (Licopersicon esculentum) orgânico contra a ação genotóxica da doxorrubicina, pelo teste SMART de asa, em Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

Food that is rich in carotenoids is used in the population s common diet, and is found in fruits and other vegetables of red pigmentation, such as tomatoes, watermelons and carrots. These carotenoids are anti-oxidizing agents that capture free radicals, which are highly reactive substances produced in the organism, and if in excess, provoke precocious old age and cancer. Licopeno is the carotenoid that is present in high concentration in tomatoes. The SMART wing test was used to verify the possible anti-genotoxic or genotoxic effects of the organic tomato in somatic cells of Drosophila melanogaster. In the verification of genotoxicity, 48- hour larvae were used, and they are descendant from pattern cross (ST) and from high bioactivation capacity, and were treated with aqueous extract of TOR organic tomato (100%, 50% and 20%). The present study aimed at verifying the organic tomato genotoxic effects against the DXR genotoxic action (0,125 mg/ml), which generate free radicals. The results obtained showed that in the descendants of both crosses (ST and HB), treated as TOR, it was not possible to verify statistically significant increases in the frequencies of mutant spots in both descendants (ST and HB). This increase of frequencies of spots may suggest, at first sight, an enhancement effect of DXR. However, we can see that the increase in total frequency of spots is due to a significant increase in frequency of small spots, which leads us to believe that this effect is in reality not enhancement, but protector. This way, we can conclude that the aqueous extract of organic tomato is not genotoxic and may have an important role as anti-genotoxic agent.