Background: Propolis is a natural honeybee’s product which produced to protect its hive, so, it is anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and free radical scavengers. This work aimed to study the role of propolis against genotoxic effects of monosodium glutamate (MSG) on bone marrow chromosomes and DNA content of male albino mice. The mice divided into group1 were a control group, group2 treated with 1g/kg body weight (b.wt.) of MSG, group3 treated with a dose of MSG in addition to 100mg/kg b.wt. of propolis and group4 treated with a dose of propolis. All animals treated daily for two and four weeks and orally of selected doses.
Results: MSG treatment showed a time dependent significant increased (p<0.001)in chromosomal aberrations, these aberrations were centromeric attenuation, deletion, ring, fragment, centric fusion, beaded chromosome and polyploidy. Micronucleus test showed bone marrow cells toxicity which indicated by reduction of the ratio of PCE and showed highly significant increased (p<0.001) in %DNA damage which measured by % DNA tail comet, while the treatment with MSG in addition to propolis significantly decreased (p<0.05) these alternations in chromosomes and DNA.
Conclusion: The present study indicated that MSG treatment induced genotoxic effect on bone marrow chromosomes, DNA content of male albino mice and propolis treatment improved these changes. Therefore, the using of MSG should be restricted to a very narrow range border and may using of propolis in our daily life.
