Assessment in vitro of the genotoxicity, antigenotoxicity and antioxidant of Ceratonia siliqua L. extracts in murine leukaemia cells L1210 by comet assay.

Abstract Genotoxicity of Ceratonia siliqua extracts, was investigated by assessing their capacity to induce nucleus DNA degradation of murine leukaemia cells L1210, using the “Comet assay”. The ability of total oligomer flavonoids (TOF) and aqueous extracts to protect cell DNA against oxidative stress induced by H 2 O 2 , was performed by pre- co or post-treatment of cells with the before mentioned extracts for different periods preceding exposure to H 2 O 2 stress. No significant genotoxic effect was detected at different exposure times, except at the lowest concentration of TOF extract (16.25 μg/ml). It appears that extracts decreased DNA damage, induced by H 2 O 2 . Both of TOF and aqueous extracts exhibited cellular antioxidant capacity, with EC 50 values of respectively Antioxidant properties of carob leaf extracts revealed by our study make a good antioxidant protection and thus a good candidate as food addition component.