Abstract
The protective and mutagen-modifying activity of the complex of biologically active substances(BAS) in the extract from the underground part of the plant Inula britannica in the cells of the visceral organs of laboratory mice was studied. Alkaline variation of the comet assay was used to determine genotoxic/antigenotoxic activity. The frequency of single-stranded DNA breaks in the cells of the brain andbone marrow, lungs, heart, kidneys, liver, stomach, spleen was assessed by the following parameters: %of DNA in tail, Olive tail moment, damage index. It was found that extracts of BAS in concentrations of100.0 mg/l and 150.0 mg/l did not show genotoxic activity, the frequency of single-strand breaks in allstudied organs did not statistically significantly exceed the spontaneous level in intact animals. Whenexposed to asymmetric dimethylhydrazine (UDMH), the cells of the studied organs showed a statisticallysignificant increase in the number of single-stranded DNA breaks compared to intact laboratory mice.When combined with UDMH as a positive control, extract of Inula britannica significantly reduces thegenotoxic effect of xenobiotics. The frequency of DNA breaks in animals that simultaneously receivedUDMH and Inula britannica extract was statistically significantly lower compared with mice that received only UDMH. All this suggests the presence of antimutagenic and antigenotoxic activity in theextract of Inula britannica.Key words: Inula britannica, biologically active substances, mutagen, antimutagen, genotoxicity,DNA comet assay.