Available online at www.pelagiaresearchlibrary.com Pelagia Research Library Asian Journal of Plant Science and Research, 2014, 4(1):81-89 ISSN : 2249-7412 CODEN (USA): AJPSKY 81 Pelagia Research Library Cytotoxicity potentials of some medicinal plants in Mindanao, Philippines Abigal R. Cuyacot, Jhun Joules M. Mahilum and Ma. Reina Suzette B. Madamba Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology _____________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT This study aimed to assess the crude ethanolic extracts of five medicinal plants on Allium cepa (onion) root tip cells and kidney /liver cells of BALB/c strain mice for cytotoxic potential by observing any possible chromosomal aberrations in order to ensure a relatively safe use of medicinal plants. The five medicinal plants include Jatropha gossypifolia Linn. (Tuba-tuba), Smallanthus sonchifolius (Yacon), Chromola enaodorata (Hagonoy), Euphorbia cotinifolia (Malapascuas) and Tinospora rumphii (Panyawan) which are commonly used among the indigenous inhabitants of Mt. Nebu, Bukidnon, Philippines. . Result of higher concentration of the extracts (25mg and 35mg) showed more chromosomal abnormalities compared to 5mg and 15mg. These abnormalities include disturbed metaphase, chromosome fragments, vagrant chromosome, chromosome bridge, C-mitosis, binucleated cell and the presence of micronucleus. Among the five plants, only the extract of S. sonchifolius did not indicate any abnormalities to the root tips. Histological validation in this study had resulted significant change in liver and kidney tissues of BALB/c strain mice. The result gave a good initial indication for the toxicity of the plants tested but did not necessarily establish a direct link to toxicological effects in humans. Thus, this study recommends further laboratory validation especially in vivo studies. Keywords: Allium cepa root tips, chromosomal abnormalities, Musmusculus, plant extracts _____________________________________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION Plants have shaped the basis of urbane traditional medicine systems [1]. The medicinal use of plants is always been part of human practices and perhaps it is as old as human kind itself. The World Health Organization estimates that up to 80% of the world’s population relies on traditional medicinal system [2]. It is used primarily in developing countries for primary health care and is also entering the therapeutics in the developed countries with a large number of bestselling herbal medicines. Herbal medicines escape toxicity testing before they are marketed as drug laws allow traditional medicines a short cut into the market [3]. Despite the profound therapeutic advantages possessed by some of the medicinal plants, some constituents of medicinal plants have been shown to be potentially toxic, mutagenic, carcinogenic and teratogenic [2]. Many reports have revealed that drugs of plant origin are not free from toxic effects and it has also been reported that hepatic failure and even death followed on the ingestion of herbal medicine [4]. It is important to note that most of the traditional medicinal plants have never been the subject of exhaustive toxicological tests such as is required for modern pharmaceutical compounds, and based on their traditional use for long periods of time they are often assumed to be safe [5]. Research has shown that traditional medicinal plants have in vitro mutagenic or toxic and carcinogenic properties, thus it is important to explore medicinal plants for their cytotoxicity. The non-prescription use of medicinal plants is cited today as an important health problem, in particular their toxicity to the kidneys [6]. In fact, there is currently a global reawakening of ethnobotanical surveys of medicinal plants and so as the need for screening specific parts of plants [7]. This makes