Mutagenic and antimutagenic activities of aqueous and methanol extracts of Euphorbia hirta

Quercetin was found in the acid-hydrolysed methanol extract of Euphorbia hirta, but its presence in both non-hydrolysed and acid-hydrolysed Euphorbia hirta aqueous extract was negligible. Mutagenicity testing using Salmonella typhimurium TA98 in the absence and presence of S-9 metabolic activation showed that quercetin (25 μg/mL) was strongly mutagenic. However, it did not show antimutagenic effect at this concentration against known mutagens when tested with Salmonella typhimurium TA98 in the absence and presence of S-9 metabolic activation.