Comparative Analysis of the Biological Effects Related to a Natural Extract Processed from the Bark of Chayote (Sechium Edule)

Several people on the planet make use of natural therapies exploiting the power of herbs in the cure of various diseases at the level of folk medicine. Drugs can alter the radiolabeling morphology of red blood cells due to its oxidant properties. In this study, the influence of a chayotte extract was evalued on (i) the morphology of red blood cells, (ii) on the radiolabeling of blood elements with technetium-99m (99mTc) and on (iii) the electrophoretic mobility of plasmid pUC 9.1 DNA. Blood was withdraw from Wistar rats and treated with chayotte, after that, it was incubated with stannous chloride and 99mTc. The blood smears were prepared and analyzed under light microscope. Plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was exposed to chayotte extracts (macerated) (0.1g. mL«ʹ) in presence of stannous chloride (SnCl2). Samples of the plasmid DNA were analyzed through agarose gel electrophoresis. It was observed that the extract was capable of altering the morphology of red blood cells. The chayotte extract was capable of damaging the DNA in the presence and in the absent of SnCl2.. In conclusion, the effect of the chayote extract could be explained by the presence of flavonoids as well as different classes of proteinases and caspase-like proteases sensitive related to the effects of radiolabeling, the lesions of DNA molecules and to the alteration of cell membrane.