Abstract
The aim of this study is to evaluate the antioxidant, genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of root extracts of Astragalus microcephalus Willd. (A. microcephalus). Extracts were obtained using solvents such as ethanol, ethanol: n-hexane, n-hexane and methanol by Soxhlet extraction. The content of oil obtained from the n-hexane extracts of the plant was determined by Gas Chromatography with downstream Flame Ionization Detector (GC-FID) analysis. The antioxidant activity and total phenolic content of the extracts were determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and Folin-Ciocalteu Methods, respectively. Genotoxic and cytotoxic properties of extracts at 50 and 100 µg/mL concentrations were investigated by Micronucleus (MN) and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium-bromide (MTT) assay, respectively. The roots of the plant contain an average of 2.53% oil. It was found that the most abundant fatty acid in the roots of the plant was linoleic acid. In addition, the roots of the plant contain palmitic, linolenic, 13,16-docosaadienoic, oleic and stearic acid. Methanolic extracts have the highest antioxidant activity and the richest in total phenolic content. All extracts obtained were determined to be genotoxic at 50 and 100 µg/mL. Methanol, ethanol: n-hexane and ethanol extracts of roots of A. microcephalus exhibit very low antioxidant activity even at high concentrations. Furthermore, except for the plant's ethanolic extract, all other extracts exhibit cytotoxicity at concentrations as low as 50 and 100 µg/mL. According to the results of this study, it isn't recommended to use the roots of A. microcephalus Willd. in the treatment of various diseases, considering their genotoxic and cytotoxic effects.