Cytogenetic Effect of Arum maculatum Extract on the Bone Marrow Cells of Mice

Treatment with Arum maculatum extract remarkably lowered the mitotic index in bone marrow cells of Swiss male mice at all of the exposure times and in almost all concentrations studied compared with correspond- ing controls. The reduction in the mitotic index revealed a mitodepressive effect of the extract on dividing bone marrow cells of mice. Following application of the lowest dose (125 mg/ml), 24 h was considered the threshold limit of exposure time in the experiment able to provide the highest result. After 24 h exposure at the lowest dose (125 mg/ml), the recorded cytogenetic effect of Arum maculatum extract started to decrease (after 36h it was lower than at 24h exposure). Arum maculatum extract induced a wide range of abnormalities involving all the stages of mitosis in the bone marrow cells of mice. These include restitution, micro and multinuclei, abnormal prophase, C-metaphase, sticky chromosomes, fragments, bridges, non-congression and laggards. The main effect of the extract, however, was found on interphase and both metaphase and anaphase.