Diterpenoid 3-epicaryoptin (C₂₆H₃₆O₉) is abundant in the leaves of Clerodendrum inerme, a traditionally used medicinal plant, having insect antifeedant activities. Here, we aim to explore the cytogenotoxic effects of compound 3-epicaryoptin in Allium cepa root apical meristem cells. A. cepa roots were treated with 3-epicaryoptin (100, 150 & 200 μg mL^-1 concentration) and the standard compound colchicine (200 μg mL^-1 concentration) for 2, 4, 4+16 h (4 h treatment followed by 16 h recovery). Cytogenotoxicity was analysed by studying the root growth retardation (RGR), mitotic index (MI), and cellular aberrations. The result showed statistically significant (p<0.01), concentration-dependent RGR effects of 3-epicaryoptin treatment compared with the negative control. Study of cell frequency in different phases of cell division observed a significant (p<0.001) increase in the metaphase cell percentage (66.2±0.58 %, 150 μg mL^-1) and which subsequently caused an increase in the frequency of MI (12.29±0.34 %, 150 μg mL^-1) at 4h of 3-epicaryoptin treatment and that was comparable with the colchicine action. The cytological study revealed that the 3-epicaryoptin treatment could induce different types of chromosomal abnormalities such as colchicine like metaphase, vagrant chromosomes, sticky chromosomes, anaphase-bridge, and an increased frequency of micronuclei and polyploid cells. These findings indicate that 3-epicaryoptin is cytogenotoxic, and thus C. inerme should be used with caution in traditional medicine.

中文翻译：

---

3-epicaryoptin 对洋葱洋葱根尖分生组织细胞的细胞毒性作用

二萜类 3-epicaryoptin (C ₂₆ H ₃₆ O ₉ ) 在传统药用植物Clerodendrum inerme的叶子中含量丰富，具有昆虫拒食活性。在这里，我们旨在探索化合物 3-epicaryoptin 在洋葱洋葱根顶端分生组织细胞中的细胞遗传学毒性作用。用 3- epicaryoptin（100、150 和 200 μg mL ^-1浓度）和标准复方秋水仙碱（200 μg mL ^-1浓度）2、4、4+16 小时（4 小时处理，然后 16 小时恢复）。通过研究根生长迟缓 (RGR)、有丝分裂指数 (MI) 和细胞畸变来分析细胞毒性。结果显示，与阴性对照相比，3-epicaryoptin 处理的浓度依赖性 RGR 效应具有统计学意义 ( p <0.01)。细胞分裂不同阶段的细胞频率研究观察到中期细胞百分比（66.2±0.58 %, 150 μg mL ^{-1 ）显着增加（} p <0.001） ，随后导致 MI 频率增加（12.29± 0.34 %，150 μg mL ^-1) 在 3-epicaryoptin 处理 4 小时，这与秋水仙碱的作用相当。细胞学研究表明，3-epicaryoptin 治疗可诱导不同类型的染色体异常，如秋水仙碱样中期、流浪染色体、粘性染色体、后期桥，以及微核和多倍体细胞频率增加。这些发现表明 3-epicaryoptin 具有细胞毒性，因此在传统医学中应谨慎使用C. inerme 。