Evaluation of the Mutagenic Effect of Methanol Extract of Adiantum capillus-veneris Plant by Ames test

Triterpenoids have been isolated from Adiantum capillus- veneris. These triterpenoids have antitumor effect. Their effect on DNA has been identified. Thus، the purpose of the present study was to obtain reliability of the non mutagenic effect of the methanolic Adiantum capillus-veneris extract using Amest test. Subjects and Long maceration process (for 48 hrs) was carried out in order to extract all constitutes. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) method was used to evaluate aflatoxin B1 contamination and histidine amino acid presence. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined with dilution method. Salmonella typhimurium strain TA100 was used for determination of mutagenicity. The genotype was confirmed by using histidine requirement، R- factor presence، rfa and uvrB mutations tests. The mutagenicity assay was performed at four extract concentrations (0. 5، 1، 1. 5 and 2mg/ml). Sodium azide (NaN3) and methanol were used as the mutagens (positive control) and negative control، respectively in the absence or presence of liver-metabolizing enzymes. Adiantum capillus-veneris did have not significant mutagenic activity against negative control. The presence of liver-metabolizing enzymes did not exhibit a significant change on the number of colony formed. The results from this in vitro tests demonstrated that use of the extract from Adiantum capillus-veneris plant in traditional medicine does not carry the risk of mutagenic or genomic changes.