Abstract
BACKGROUND: Many natural substances generated from plant crude extracts have recently been shown to protect against the harmful effects of a variety of pollutants. Ginger (Zingiber officinalis) is a widely used spice and medicinal herb. METHODS: To study the effect of aqueous ginger extract in inhibiting the genotoxicity of dexamethasone, we gave the first group dexamethasone (0.4 mg/kg) only. The second group was treated with an aqueous extract of ginger (50 mg/kg) only. The third group was treated with an aqueous extract of ginger followed by dexamethasone with a two-hour interval between doses. The last group was treated with dexamethasone and an aqueous ginger extract simultaneously. To perform genetic tests, we used mitotic index, chromosomal aberrations, and micronuclei tests. RESULTS: After the treatment with dexamethasone, chromosome aberration and micronuclei formation were induced; however, after treatment with an aqueous extract of ginger, chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei were significantly reduced in male mice. The aqueous extract of ginger did not exhibit cytotoxicity and showed high inhibitory efficiency against the toxicity and mutagenicity of dexamethasone. CONCLUSIONS: The aqueous extract of ginger plays a promising role in protecting somatic cells from the cytogenetic effects of dexamethasone, and it reduces chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei in male albino mice.