Abstract
The preventive effective of Zataria multiflora (ZM) extract was investigated in mouse bone marrow cells against genotoxicity induced by cyclophosphamide (CP). Mice were orally (gavaged) pretreated with solutions of ZM extract prepared at 3 different doses (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg body weight) for 7 consecutive days. They were injected with CP (50 mg/kg body weight) on the seventh day of treatment and killed after 24 hours for the evaluation of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MnPCEs) and the ratio of PCE/(PCE + NCE), where PCE refers to polychromatic erythrocyte, and NCE refers to normochromatic erythrocyte. All 3 doses of extract significantly reduced MnPCEs induced by CP (P < .0001). Zataria extract at a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight reduced MnPCEs 7.8 fold and also completely normalized the PCE/ (PCE + NCE) ratio. Administration of ZM inhibited bone marrow suppression induced by CP. Zataria extract exhibited concentration-dependent antioxidant activity on 1, 1-diphenyl 2-picryl hydrazyl free radical and lipid peroxidation. It appeared that ZM with antioxidative activity reduced the oxidative stress and genotoxicity induced by CP in mouse bone marrow cells.