Mitigation of arsenic poisoning induced oxidative stress and genotoxicity by Ocimum gratissimum L

Arsenic toxicity is a major problem across the world due to geogenic activity and has been supposed to generate free radicals and genotoxicity among the arsenic-poisoned population. There is a need to find suitable free radical quenching compounds for the arsenic-induced free radical-affected population. In the present study, Na3AsO3- induced oxidative stress and genotoxicity were evaluated in Oryctolagus cuniculus L, and quenching competency of Ocimum species was examined by applying enzymatic and non-enzymatic in vitro tests, comet assay, and Random Amplified Polymorphic Deoxyribonucleic acid - Polymerase Chain Reaction (RAPD-PCR) methods. In the present study, oxidative damage due to Na3AsO3 intoxication in O. cuniculus L has been confirmed followed by substantive genotoxicity, and in a further study, it has also been reported that the extract of O. gratissimum L lowers the oxidative stress in experimental animals confirmed by a decrease in Malondialdehyde (MDA) 4.78 +/- 0.05 (nmol/mg protein), and an increase in Glutathione (GSH) 2.87 +/- 0.50 (mu moles/mg proteins), Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) 1.78 +/- 0.03(Units/mg protein), Catalase (CAT) 2.72 +/- 0.02 (mu moles of H2O2 consumed/min/mg proteins) and Glutathione peroxidase (GPX) 7.43 +/- 0.01 (mu g of glutathione utilized/min/mg protein). A positive impact of extract of O. gratissimum L on protection of genotoxicity has been also confirmed by Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) based reduction in polymorphic bands of Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from 6.5 to 3.16 and comet assay-based increase in head DNA % (87.86 +/- 1.58), tail moment (1.07 +/- 0.27) and decrease in tail DNA % (12.13 +/- 1.58) & tail length (8.2 +/- 1.46) at 5% P in lymphocytes. A significant level reduction in free radicals and reduction in DNA polymorphism has proved the competency of test material for the development of suitable antidotes against arsenicosis.