[In vitro study of the antimutagenic activity of alphahederin].

Authors have studied the antimutagenic power of alphahederin (a saponin extracted from Hedera helix) versus a clastogenic agent, doxorubicin and an aneugenic agent, carbendazim. We have applied a protocol of incorporation of alphahederin (pretreatment, simultaneous treatment and post treatment) to determine a mechanism of action. According to this protocol, alphahederin induces a significant diminution of the rate of micronuclei wathever the phases of the protocol. These results demonstrate the antimutagenic activity of alphahederin with a mechanism of action, both desmutagenic and bioantimutagenic.