Antimutagenic Effects of Garlic and Turmeric Extracts on Chromosomal Aberrations in Allium Cepa Root Tip

Garlic and Turmeric have been used in the preparation of food in India since the Vedic period. Apart from their known uses in food preparation, they are also used in Ayurvedic medicine and they show antimutagenic and antigenotoxic properties. In the present study, antimutagenic effects of garlic and turmeric extracts have been evaluated using chromosomal aberrations in Allium cepa root meristem cells. The antimutagenic extracts of garlic and turmeric were used against mutagenic chemicals such as sodium azide, sodium benzoate, sodium citrate, citric acid, potassium metabisulphite and urea. The root tip cells were treated with the above-mentioned chemicals for 24 hours and prior to this procedure, the root tips were pre-treated by garlic and turmeric extracts for 14 hours. These mutagens were found to induce chromosomal aberrations like chromosomal bridges, laggards, nuclear lesions, stickiness, and chromosomal fragments, also they were found to affect the mitotic index of the onion root tips. The total number of aberrations was significantly decreased in onion root tip cells when pre-treated with garlic and turmeric extract.