Protective effects of indole-3-carbinol on cyclophosphamide-induced clastogenecity in mouse bone marrow cells

Indole-3-carbinol (I3C) is present in many cruciferous vegetables and is known to possess protective properties against chemically induced toxicity and carcinogenesis. In the present study, the antimutagenic potential of I3C has been evaluated using in vivo chromosomal aberration (CA) assay as a cytogenetic end point. Chromosomal analysis was carried out in mouse bone marrow cells following administration of I3C (5 mg/kg; i.p.) for 5 consecutive days. Cyclophosphamide (CP), a well known mutagen, was given at two dose levels of 25 mg/kg b.wt. and 100 mg/kg b.wt., respectively, 24 hours prior to the last dose of I3C. Two groups of five mice each were also injected with CP (25 or 100 mg/kg b.wt.) alone whereas for the vehicle control a group of mice was injected with normal saline only. The results revealed a significant inhibition in the frequencies of CP-induced CAs and aberrant cells in bone marrow cells of I3C-supplemented Swiss albino mice. The antimutagenic potential of I3C towards CP was also evident as the status of mitotic index (MI) was found to show an increment. This study revealed the antigenotoxic potential of I3C against CP- induced chromosomal mutations.