Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the modulating capacity of cashew and cashew apple juice against the toxicogenetic effects of paracetamol, using the Allium cepa test system. Methods: Treatment groups: Negative Control (distilled water - DW); Positive Control (40mg paracetamol 0.3mg / ml - CP); Group 2 (10 ml cashew apple juice + 30 ml DW); Group 3 (10 ml cashew apple juice + 30 ml DW); Group 4 (10 ml cashew apple juice + 30 ml CP) and Group 5 (10 ml cashew nuts diluted with 30 ml CP). It was used five bulbs per treatment, rooted, and transferred to their respective solutions. The rootlets were collected and fixed in acetic acid (3: 1) after 24 and 48 hours of exposure. The slides were stained with 2% acetic orcein. Results: It is suggested that bioactive compounds are present in cashew apple juice and its cashew derivation, having ability to inhibit the formation of mutagenic changes caused by the drug used during the study, from the observation of the increase of the Mitotic Index and reduction of the Chromosomal Changes. Conclusion: The data showed that cashew and cashew apple juice modulated the toxicogenetic effects of acetaminophen, interfering with drug induced mutagenesis.