The Genoprotective Role of Laurocerasus officinalis: Study on Genotoxic/Antigenotoxic and Cytotoxic/Anticytotoxic Effects in Human Lymphocytes

Laurocerasus officinalis, a valuable medicinal plant, has rich flavonoid and anthocyanin content, providing benefits for various diseases. It also has ethnopharmacological uses such as diuretics and antidiabetics. Phenolic compounds exhibit their anticarcinogenic effects directly by repairing DNA damage and reducing chromosomal abnormalities. This study aims to investigate genotoxicity/antigenotoxicity and cytotoxicity/anticytotoxicity of L. officinalis extract in human peripheral lymphocytes by the methods of chromosomal aberration (CA), cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) test, and mitotic index value. The doses of L. officinalis extract were determined as 125, 250, 500, and 1,000 μg/mL for the genotoxicity test, and mitomycin C (MMC) was added to induce DNA damage for the investigation of antigenotoxicity. In both applications (24 and 48 h), all doses, positive control (MMC) and negative control (sterile dH₂O), were used. In CA and CBMN tests for genotoxicity, no significant differences existed between all doses and the solvent control group (p > 0.05). In antigenotoxic activity, doses added with MMC were significantly lower than positive control (p < 0.05). For both the 24-hour and 48-hour periods, the percentage of abnormal cells and the CAs per cell ratio were significantly lower at all L. officinalis extract concentrations compared to the positive control. Additionally, as the treatment concentration increased, the CA ratio showed a decreasing trend. These differences were strongly dose-dependent compared to the positive control (r = −0.799). In all concentrations in the CBMN test, the frequencies were significantly lower than the positive control, and the higher the L. officinalis extract concentrations, the lower the micronuclei (MN). There was a strong dose-dependent relationship in MN formation compared to positive control (r = −0.925). Therefore, L. officinalis extract has no genotoxic effect on human lymphocytes and also has antigenotoxic and protective effect to the damage of MMC. In the mitotic index result, the L. officinalis extract was cytotoxic at only one dose (125 μg/mL) but anticytotoxic at all other doses against MMC exposure. In conclusion, consuming L. officinalis medicinally benefits and may protect against exposure to genotoxic agents.