Evaluation of apigenin using in vitro cytochalasin blocked micronucleus assay

High doses of flavonoids are reported to be clastogenic in contrast to their potential to reduce oxidative DNA damage, retard growth of leukemia cells, obstruct cell signal transduction and induce cellular differentiation in cancers. In the present study, we evaluated apigenin, a plant-derived flavonoid in doses of 10, 33, and 100 μM per 5 ml culture using cytochalasin-B blocked micronucleus (CBMN) assay in peripheral human lymphocytes. Apigenin was found to induce micronuclei in a dose dependent manner indicating potential genotoxic hazard in humans. Hence, flavonoids may act as mutagen, pro-oxidant or as inhibitor of key enzymes to produce clastogenic effects depending upon the levels consumed as well as the physiological parameters.