Protective effect of nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) against norgestrel induced genotoxic damage

Nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) is a phenolic lignan and possesses antioxidant and number of properties potentially useful to man. The effect of NDGA was studied against norgestrel induced genotoxic damage, using sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs), chromosomal aberrations (CAs), mitotic index (MI) and replication index (RI) as parameters. Amounts of 5, 10 and 20 μM of norgestrel was tested for its genotoxic effect in the absence as well as presence of S9 mix, and was found to be genotoxic at 10 and 20 μM in the presence of S9 mix. Again, 10 μM of norgestrel was treated with 0.5 and 1 μM of NDGA, separately, in the presence of S9 mix. Similar treatment was given with 20 μM of norgestrel. Treatments given with NDGA result in the reduction of SCE, CA and increase of MI as well as RI, suggesting its protective action on human lymphocytes in vitro against the norgestrel induced genotoxic damage.