Genotoxicidade do extrato etanólico de Xylosma prockia (Salicaceae) avaliada por ensaio do cometa em células RAW 264.7

Abstract

Xylosma prockia (Salicaceae) is a native Brazilian species with few biological safety studies, whose extracts have already shown antifungal activity in previous research. Given the potential genotoxicity of plant extracts and the lack of data for this species, an initial assessment of its toxicological profile using sensitive methods such as the comet assay is required. This study aimed to investigate the genotoxic potential of the ethanolic leaf extract of Xylosma prockia in RAW 264.7 cells. The cells were exposed for 6 hours to concentrations of 0.05, 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/mL. Cell viability, assessed by the trypan blue exclusion method, remained above 70% in all groups, with no significant differences. The frequencies of damage classes and the damage index did not differ from the negative control and showed no dose-dependent pattern, while the positive control confirmed assay responsiveness by producing the expected genetic lesions. The results indicate that the ethanolic extract of Xylosma prockia did not induce DNA damage under the tested conditions, contributing to the establishment of an initial toxicological profile and supporting further studies on its therapeutic potential.