The usages of medicinal plants as therapeutic agents have been practiced in a large scale of applications that make studies of their mutagenicity and/or anti-mutagenic /anti-carcinogenic effects very essential. The current investigation is focused on the anti-mutagenic effects of the Tamarix nilotica (Ehrenb) crude extract using chromosomal aberrations analysis in mice bone marrow. In fact, a single plant may have diversity of phytochemicals ranging from bitter compounds that stimulate digestive system, phenolic compounds for antioxidants and many other pharmacological properties, antibacterial, and antifungal, tannins that work as natural antibiotics, diuretic substances and alkaloids, etc. Tamarix is represented in Egypt with two indigenous species which are Tamarix aphylla (L.) (H.Karst) and T. nilotica (Ehrenb.) Bunge (T. nilotica (Ehrenb.). In addition, it was used in Egyptian traditional medicine as an antiseptic agent. Extracts of Tamarix species have been widely used in traditional medicine in Asia and Africa mainly for their antiseptic, astringent, diaphoretic and diuretic properties. The current investigation is focused on the anti-mutagenic effects of the Tamarix nilotica crude extract using chromosomal aberrations analysis in mice bone marrow. Mitomycin C (MMC) was administered to mice as a positive control alone before and after treatment with 5 or 0.5 mg/ kg b.wt Tamarix crude extract as acute (24 and 48 h) and sub-acute (15 consecutive days) doses respectively. Results indicated that the Mitomycin C (MMC) exposure induced statistically significant increase in chromosomal aberrations compared to the control, however T. nilotica revealed slight insignificant effect on aberrant mitosis rate. Chromosomal aberration domain structural and numerical aberrations. The frequency of chromosomal aberrations (CA) and mitotic index (MI) decreased with increasing the dose and time of T. nilotica treatment, especially pre-treatment (plant + MMC). This effect was found to be dose-dependent. In conclusion, the results showed that T. nilotica could be considered as a good anti-mutagenic agent.

In this study, anticancer activity of Zygophyllum album and Suaeda palastina extracts was evaluated. Dichloromethane, methanol and hot water were used as solvents for extraction. Results indicated that the highest half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) on human lung carcinoma (A549) cell lines was achieved by dichloromethane extracts of Z. album and S. palastina (70.48 μg/ml and 34.82 μg/ml respectively) compared to methanolic and hot water extracts. Furthermore, dichloromethane extracts of both plants had antiproliferative effect and highly cytotoxicity on human cancer cells. IC50 of Z. album was 27.74 μg/ml in the human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2), while IC50 of S. palaestina was 30.76 μg/ml with no cytotoxic activity on normal cell lines. In conclusion, these results suggest that Z. album and S. palaestina could be a good candidate species as a natural source of anticancer agents.