The ameliorative effect of Cetraria islandica against diabetes-induced genetic and oxidative damage in human blood.

CONTEXT: The aqueous extracts of Cetraria islandica (L.) Ach. (Parmeliaceae) is traditionally used in many countries against a number of conditions, including inflammatory conditions.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to assess, for the first time, the effectiveness of C. islandica in cultured primary blood cells of Type 1 diabetes subjects.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Diabetic and control blood samples were treated with or without aqueous lichen extract (5 and 10 μg mL(-1)) for 48 h. The activity of antioxidant enzymes in erythrocytes and also malondialdehyde levels in plasma were determined to evaluate the oxidative status. DNA damages were analyzed by SCE, MN and comet assays in cultured human lymphocytes. Additionally, proliferation index (PI) was evaluated in peripheral blood lymphocytes.

RESULTS: There were significant increases in observed total DNA damage (comet assay) (240.2%) and SCE (168.8%), but not in MN frequencies of cultures with diabetes as compared (p > 0.05) to controls. Whereas, the significant reductions of total DNA damage (69.2 and 65.3%) and SCE frequencies (17.7 and 12.3%) were determined when the 5 and 10 mg mL(-1) lichen extract was added to the cell culture medium, respectively. However, lichen extract did not completely inhibit the induction of SCEs in lymphocytes of patients with diabetes. C. islandica extract was also useful on PI rates.

DISCUSSION: In conclusion, the antioxidant role of C. islandica in alleviating diabetes-induced genomic instability and for increasing cell viability was firstly indicated in the present study.