The anti-genotoxic effect of some lichenic acids

Four lichen secondary metabolites; diffractaic acid, lecanoric acid, lobaric acid and vulpinic acid were evaluated for the anti-genotoxic effects on human lymphocytes in vitro using single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) or comet assay. Carbon tetrachloride, a known mutagenic agent was used as the positive control in the comet test system. The results revealed that at all concentrations, the tested compounds mediated a significant decrease in total DNA damage (comet assay) as compared with positive controls (p > 0.05). The most effective doses of lichen acids were found to be 100 μgmL-1 of diffractic acid, lobaric acid and vulpinic acid, and 50 μgmL-1 of lecanoric acid. In addition, it was determined that the most effective among the tested compounds was vulpinic acid.