Anti-genotoxic hydrazide from Crinum defixum.

Crinum defixum Ker-Gawl popularly known as Bon-naharu (meaning wild garlic) in Assam. It is found abundantly growing wild on riverbanks of Dhansiri River in Golaghat District of Assam. It is used as ethnomedicine in this part of India for a number of ailments. Bioassay guided chemical investigation of the bulbs of Crinum defixum Ker-Gawl afforded to isolate a new hydrazide derivative and its structure was determined as (E)-N'-[(E)-2-butenoyl]-2-butenoylhydrazide by spectroscopic methods. The compound was assayed for anti-genotoxic activity by onion root tip assay (by observing different types of chromosomal aberrations such as chromosomal bridges, stickiness, delayed anaphase, polyploidy and vagrant chromosome). The phyto-compound was found to have anti-genotoxic activity and imparted a clear dose dependent protective effect against the genotoxic effect of H(2)O(2). Further, the compound seems to be more effective against clastogenic aberrations than physiological aberration at the highest concentration used (250 ppm).