Review Article

Indian J. Pharm. Biol. Res Vol. 1 (3), Sep., 2013

ISSN: 2320-9267

Allium Cepa Root Chromosomal Aberration Assay: A Review

Namita Khanna*and Sonia Sharma

Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, India.
*Department of Physiology, Guru Gobind Singh Medical College, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences,
Faridkot, Punjab, India.

Received 05-08-2013; Revised 14-08-2013; Accepted 20-08-2013

Abstract
Higher plants, an important material for genetic tests to monitor various pollutant present in the environment.
Among the plant species, Alium cepa has been used to evaluate chromosome aberrations and disturbances in the
mitotic cycle. Now days, it has been used to assess a great number of genotoxic/antigenotoxic agents, which
contributes to its increasing application in environmental monitoring. The A. cepa is commonly used as a test
organism because it is cheap, easily available and handled and has advantages over other short-term tests. Among
the endpoints of A. cepa root chromosomal aberrations, detection of chromosomal aberration have been the most
used one to detect genotoxicity/ antigenotoxicity along the years. The mitotic index and chromosomal abnormalities
are used to evaluate genotoxicity and micronucleus analysis used to verify mutagenicity of different chemicals. The
Allium cepa root chromosomal aberration assay is widely used to determine genotoxic and antigenotoxic effects of
different plant extracts.
Keywords: Allium cepa, genotoxicity, clastogenic, mitotic index.

1.Introduction
There are number of toxic chemicals in
the environment, they are mostly
discharged by industries into water, air
and soil. The continuous use of
chemicals, led the world to establish
various chemicals industries. The
chemicals enter in our environment
through both natural and anthropogenic
ways. Once they enter in our biological
process, its really difficult to eliminate
them from the environment and disturb
various biochemical processes, leading
to fatal results. Numerous potentially
mutagenic chemicals have been studied
because they can cause mutagenic,
damaging and inheritable changes in the
genetic material. Many thousands of
toxic
chemicals
including

pharmaceuticals products, domestic and

industrial wastes, pesticides and
petroleum products are present in the
environment and new chemicals are
being introduced every year. No doubt,
rapid progress of chemical industry has
provided economic and social benefits
but at the same time it has accentuated
the environmental and social problems.
Environmental biologists are presently
concerned to safeguard the human
beings from exposure to chemicals.
Genotoxicity is to determine the
magnitude of genetic risk to man by an
environmental agents/ chemicals under
a specified level of exposure.
Unfortunately, the direct assessment in
human is not feasible because of ethnic,
logistic and practical considerations.

*Corresponding Author: Dr. Namita Khanna, Department of Physiology, Guru Gobind Singh Medical College,
BFUHS, Faridkot, Punjab, India. E-Mail Id: dr.namitakhanna@yahoo.com, soniasharma.bot@gmail.com Mobile
No. +91-9417392924
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Khanna et al.,1(3);2013

Even the epidemiological approaches

used
to
detect
genotoxic
and
carcinogenic
chemicals
have
limitationsbecause detection is possible
systems. There are many employing
wide variety of organisms ranging from
viruses, bacteria, plants and insects to
human cell cultures and intact mammals
to evaluate the mutagenicity of
environmental chemicals. In order to
identify the harmful effects of
substances in different concentrations
and time of exposure, a variety of tests
have been employed, such as
cytogenetic tests. These tests are
commonly used for biomonitoring the
extent of pollution and to evaluate the
effects of toxic and mutagenic
substances in the natural environment
[1,2]
Higher plants constitute an important
material for genetic tests to monitor
environmental pollutants. However this
feature is due to the possibility of
assessing several genetic endpoints
range from point mutation to
chromosomal aberrations in cells (Table
1).
Among the higher plants species, the
most frequent ones used to evaluate
environmental contamination are Allium
cepa,
Vicia
faba,
Zea
mays,
Tradescantia, Nicotiana tabacum, Crepis
capillaris and Hordeum vulgare. But,
still among these species, Allium cepa
(Onion) has been considered an
efficient test organism to indicate the
presence of mutagnic chemicals [3,4]
due to its kinetic characteristic of
proliferation and chromosome suitable
for this type of study [1,2]. A. cepa root
chromosomal aberration assay was
described as an efficient test system
routinely used to evaluate the genotoxic
potential
of
chemicals
in
the
Available online on www.ijpbr.in

environment, due to its sensitivity and

good correlation with mammalian test
systems [5,6]. Thus A. cepa is an
efficient
test
organism
for
environmental monitoring, especially in
contaminated aquatic environments [79].
2.Modification of Allium cepa root
chromosomal aberration assay
Higher plants, an important material for
genetic tests to monitor various pollutant
present in the environment. The A. cepa
test was first introduced by Levan [3] to
examine the effect of colchicines on
mitotic spindles and has been in frequent
usage since then. The procedure of the
original test implied germinating onion
bulbs in distilled water at room
temperature after removing dry scales of
bulbs. When the roots tips grown out to a
length of 1-2 cm in water, and thereafter
exposed to specific treatments followed
by macroscopic and microscopic
observations after a certain time period.
However, weak contaminations in
naturally occurring water, as in water
from rivers or other supplies of water for
human use, often gave very little effects
in the original form of the test [10]. Since
then, technical modifications in the A.
cepa test have been designed in order to
enable a more comprehensive assessment
of weak and unknown contaminations, as
the
complex
mixtures,
which
comprehend most of the environmental
and the pure samples [4-5,11].
The first adaptations of the A. cepa test
were made by Fiskesjo [4] by designing
it a test organism for environmental
monitoring. For this purpose, he
proposed modifications that allowed both
the evaluation of soluble and insoluble
compounds in water and the assessment
of the effects of complex mixtures. Series
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Khanna et al.,1(3);2013

of onions bulbs were being allowed to

directly germinate in the chemical to be
tested and the final observations being
made within few days. Since no initial
treatment with pure water was included,
so this method of treatment is more
similar to conditions in nature. Even
small amounts of toxic contaminations by
chemicals produced effects on the
differences in root length among the
different experimental series of bulbs.
More severe toxic effects of chemicals
influence the shape and color of the root
tips also. For further extending the
significance of the results, microscopic
analysis can be performed. This new
modification of the Allium cepa root
chromosomal aberration assay has also
been convenient for studying the action
of different concentrations of known
toxic chemicals.
Later, Rank and Nielsen [12] proposed
new modifications to the Allium test,
making it even more efficient to analyze
various known complex mixtures.
However, all the modifications proposed
by the authors were related to the
evaluation of chromosomal aberrations
(CA), which detects various genotoxic
agents. The test was modified to assess
the mutagenic effects by observing the
micronuclei (MN) induction in the roots
cells of A. cepa exposed to different
environmental pollutants. It is known that
CA, such as chromosomal breaks,
fragments and chromosome losses, result
in the formation of micronucleated cells,
since both fragments and entire
chromosomes cannot be incorporated into
the main nucleus during the cell cycle
[13]. Nevertheless, Rank [11] presented a
different opinion from the above authors,
because according to them, the CA
analysis, besides estimating the genotoxic
effects of tested agents, also enables the
evaluation of their clastogenic and
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aneugenic actions. Since several authors

have demonstrated the efficiency of the
analysis of CA in A. cepa as to be more
advantageous to investigate the action
mechanisms of tested agents on DNA,
which enables a better understanding of
the effects promoted by such agents [2,
14]. It may be an advantage to use the
modified Allium test as it needs lower
concentrations to give specific response
as compared to older methods, which
means that under certain conditions it is
more sensitive than the original test. The
modified test is also especially well
suited for the photographic display of the
macroscopic and microscopic responses.
3.Materials and methods
Test organism
Healthy and equal sized bulbs of
common onion (Allium cepa L.:2n=16),
are chosen and series of bulbs are grown
in test chemicals. For experiments, dried
and diseased bulbs should not be used.
Test procedure
The loose outer scales of bulbs and old
roots were removed with the help of
sharp and pointed forceps so as to
expose the root primodia. A series of
bulbs were then placed on coupling jars
containing test liquid at a temperature of
251C. The experiment should be
performed
at
relatively constant
temperature and protected against direct
sunlight. Test chemical should be stored
in refrigerator (Figure 1)
Cytological investigations.
Fixation
After treatment, the bulbs were washed
thoroughly under running tap water. The
root tips from each bulb were plucked
and fixed in Farmers fluid (glacial
acetic acid: ethanol:: 1:3) for 24 hours.
Squash preparation
For chromosomal analysis, the root tips
were hydrolyzed in 1N HCl at 600C for 1
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Khanna et al.,1(3);2013

minute and transferred to a watch glass

containing aceto-orcien and 1N HCl
(9:1). They were then heated
intermittently for 5-10 minutes, covered
and kept aside for 20-30 minutes. The tip
of the root was then cut with sharp blade
and placed on a glass slide in a drop of
45% glacial acetic acid and covered with
coverslip. The root tip was squashed by
tapping with matchstick and sealed with
DPX. The cells were scored under the
microscope for different types of
chromosomal aberrations.
3.1 Advantages of Allium cepa root
chromosomal aberration assay
The main conclusion of all the
investigations made by many authors was
that plant assays are efficient and reliable
test systems for the rapid screening of
chemicals
for
mutagenicity
and
clastogenicity. Among these assays Allium cepa L. chromosomal aberration
assay have been proven to be effective,
sensitive, less costly and used for testing
the potential mutagens in both mitotic
and meiotic cells [15-16]. The

Allium/Vicia root chromosomal aberration assay has also been adopted by

the International Program on Plant
Biossays (IPPB) for the evaluation of the
environmental pollutants [17]. This assay
has also been used to monitor the
antigenotoxic nature of various plants
and plant products.
Different parameters of Allium cepa such
as root shape, growth, mitotic index and
chromosomal aberrations can be used to
estimate the cytotoxicity, genotoxicity
and mutagenicity of environmental
pollutant [18]. The Allium test has many
advantages as genotoxicity screening
assay, one being that root cells of Allium
cepa posses the mixed function oxidase
system which is capable of activating
promutagens or genotoxic chemicals. In
the Allium test, inhibition of root growth
and the appearance of stunted roots
indicate cytotoxicty, while wilting of root
explains toxicity [5]. Nevertheless both
these observations are due to the
suppression of mitotic activity.

Figure 1: Schematic representation of Allium cepa root chromosomal aberration

assay.
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Khanna et al.,1(3);2013

Table 1. Summary on use of Allium cepa root chromosomal aberration assay for
environmental monitoring.
S.
No

Agent/s studied

Nature

Type of aberrations

Reference

1.

Hospital effluents

Chemica
l mixture of
pollutants

chromosomal disruptions, anaphasic

bridge/s and micronuclei

[19]

2.

Coal fly ash

Mixture of
chemicals

root growth and mitotic indices

inhibition; binucleated cells
formation.

[20]

3.

Industrial
wastewater

Wastewater

mitotic division reduction; mitotic

anomalies

[21]

4.

Lead

Heavy metal

decrease root growth and mitotic

index; Induce chromosome bridge/s,
laggard chromosome/s and
micronuclei.

[22]

5.

Nano-silver

Anti-bacterial

mitotic index decrease, c-metaphase,

stickiness, bridge/s, laggard/s and
micronuclei

[23]

6.

Magnesium
sulphate

Fertilizers

cytostatic and clastogenic properties

[24]

7.

Industrial effluents
contaminated with
azo dyes

Mutagenic
chemicals

mitotic index reduce; bridge/s,

laggard/s, c-metaphase, binucleated
cells; loss of chromosomes

[25]

8.

Lead

Heavy metal

root growth and mitotic index

reduced; chromosome bridge/s,
laggard chromosome/s and
micronuclei

[22]

9.

Maleic hydrazide

Herbicide

chromosomal aberrations like

bridge/s, laggard/s etc.

[26]

10.

Petroleum
hydrocarbon

Complex
chemical
mixture

nuclear bud, micronuclei, mini cells,

polynucleated cells, chromosomal
bridge/s, c-metaphase and break/s

[14]

11.

Extracts of
Psychotria (P.
myriantha and P.
leiocarpa)

Herbal
medicine

chromosomal aberrations, inhibition

of cell division was more in P.
leiocarpa than P. myriantha

[27]

12.

Quizalofop-P-ethyl Herbicide

stickiness, bridge/s, vagrant/s, canaphase, multipolarity, micronuclei

[28]

13.

Cadmium

inhibition of mitotic index; CA, MA

[29]

Metal

Available online on www.ijpbr.in

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Khanna et al.,1(3);2013

and micronucleus
14.

Maleic hydrazide

Metal

mutagenic events reduce and induce

translocation of chromosomes

[30]

15.

Atrezine

Herbicide

inhibit mitotic index; micronucleus,

chromosomes and mitotic
aberrations

[31]

16.

Aluminium

Metal

oxidative stress, damage DNA and

cell death

[32]

17.

Aqueous extracts
Medicinal
of Azadirachta
plants
indica, Morinda
lucida,
Cymbopogon
citratus,
Mangifera indica
and Carica papaya

mitotic spindle disturbance,

inhibitory, mitodepressive,
turbagenic and inhibition of root
growth

[33]

18.

Curcumin

Antimutagen

chromosome break/s, gap/s and

fragment/s

[34]

19.

Potassium
metabisulp-hite

Food
preservative

mitotic index reduce; break/s, gap/s

[35]

20.

Sodium benzoate,
boric acid, citric
acid, potassium
citrate and sodium
citrate

Food
preservative

mitotic division reduce, anaphase

bridge/s, c-mitosis, micronuclei,
break/s, lagging, stickiness, and
unequal distribution

[36]

21.

Plantago
lanceolata

Medicinal
plant

decrease mitotic index; induce

breaks, bridges, stickiness

[37]

22.

Vanadium

Metal

chromosomal aberrations

[38].

23.

Avenoxan

Herbicide

abnormal cell increased, stickiness,

bridge/s, laggard/s

[39]

24.

Acetaminophen

Analgesic

roots did not grow at high

concentration, mitotic index
declined

[40]

25.

Fumonisins

Toxic

genetic damage occurs,

chromosomal aberrations, sister
chromatid exchanged

[41]

26.

Lechates from
solid waste

Heavy metal
contamination

mitotic index inhibition,

chromosomal aberrations and

[42]

Available online on www.ijpbr.in

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Khanna et al.,1(3);2013

micronuclei
27.

Heavy metal
contaminated river
water

Heavy metal

decreased cell reproduction;

bridge/s, fragment/s, laggard/s, cmitosis, micronuclei

[43]

28.

Dinocap

Fungicides

stickiness, c-mitosis, laggard/s,

multipolarity, micronuclei,
polyploidy fragment/s

[44]

29.

Air pollution

Cytotoxic
substance

mitotic cell division decreased,

genotoxic substance found

[45]

30.

Diuron
contaminated soil

Urea
herbicide

break/s, micronucleated and

binucleated cells; mitotic index
declined

[46]

31.

Atrazine

Pesticide

break/s

[47]

32.

BDE-99

Flame
retardant

chromosomal aberrations

[48]

33.

Industrial
wastewater from
Shawa, Meet EI,
Akrad, Telbana,
Belgay

Industrial
wastewater

mitotic division inhibition,

chromosome ring/s, fragment/s,
bridge/s, disturbed metaphase

[49]

34.

Sewage water

Toxic metals

growth inhibition occur, wilting

appears on root tip/s, abnormal
dividing cell increased

[27]

35.

Aqueous extract of
Aristolochia
triangularis,
Cayaponia
bonariensis,
Solanum
granulsoleprosum,

Antihypertens
ive agents

micronuclei, asynchronic divisions

[49]

36.

Sodium
metabisulfite

Food
preservatives

mitotic index decreased, c- mitosis,

stickiness

[50]

37.

Azadirachta indica Insecticide

micronucleus, multinucleated cells,

bridge/s, stickiness, laggard/s

[51]

38.

Lead

Metal

mitotic activity inhibition, level of

DNA synthesis declined, c-mitosis

[52]

39.

Sewage and
industrial effluents
from the Amritsar

Domestic and
industrial
wastewater

high number of micronuclei and

anaphase aberrations

[53]

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Khanna et al.,1(3);2013

40.

Cypermeth-rin and
fenvalerate

Insecticides

mitotic index inhibition;

chromosomal and mitotic
aberrations

[6]

41.

Cs and Sr

Radioisotopes

germination rate of onions decrease;

aberrations like stickiness, vagrant

[54]

42.

Waste, surface and

ground water

Toxic
substances

root growth inhibition; metaphase

and anaphase aberrations

[55]

43.

Polluted water
sample

Industrial and
municipal
wastewater,
water from
treatment
plant

fragment/s, c-mitosis, stickiness

[15]

44.

Alkyl benzene,
sulphonate and
citowett

Surfactants

root length declined; mitotic index

decreased; chromosomal aberrations

[56]

45.

Wastewater
samples

Mixture of
toxic
substances

inhibition of mitotic activity,

chromosomal and genomic
aberrations

[57]

46.

Phosphine gas

Fumigative
agent

root length and viability of seeds

[58]
reduced, frequency of aberrated cells
increase

47.

Carbetamide

Pesticide

c-mitosis, break/s and bridge/s

[59]

48.

Chlorophenoxy
acids

Herbicide

c-tumors, stickiness, vagrant/s,

fragment/s; mitotic index decreased

[60]

49.

Carboxin,
Oxycarboxin

Pesticide

micronuclei

[61]

50.

2, 4, 5-T

Herbicides

cell enlargement and chromosome

[62]
aberrations; duration of mitotic cycle
increased
I. Root form: The roots exhibited
highest sensibility, with significant
effects even at the lower concentration of
test chemical. This parameter is
observable after 3-5 days of treatment
that show swelling, bending and
discoloration of the root tips or roots.

3.2 Different endpoints analysed by

the Allium cepa root chromosomal
aberration assay
The Allium test has been used for
monitoring the genotoxic, cytotoxic and
mutagenic nature of different test
chemicals. Following are the genetic
categories of different parameters
analyzed by this test system.

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II.

Root
length
and
EC50
determination: Root growth decrease
over 45% indicates the presence of toxic
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Khanna et al.,1(3);2013

nature of substances [4] having sublethal

effects on plants [52]. For the
determination of EC50 a series of bulbs
were grown on coupling jars containing
distilled water at a temperature of
251C. After 24 hours, the bulbs with
uniform root growth were selected and
placed on coupling jars filled with
different concentrations of both test
chemical and distilled water (negative
control). This set of onion bulbs was
termed as day one. On the fourth day,
root lengths were measured for each
group (control as well as treatment
group) and mean values were calculated.
Taking mean root length of control as
100%, lengths of different treatment
groups were plotted against test
concentrations and the point on the graph
which showed 50% growth was
designated as EC50 concentration.
III.

Mitotic index (MI): The cytotoxic

level of a test chemical/compound can be
determined based on the increase or
decrease in the mitotic index (MI), which
can be used as a parameter of cytotoxicity
in
studies
of
environmental
biomonitoring [15]. Significant reduction
in MI, noted in the present study may be
due to the inhibition of DNA synthesis or
the blocking in the G2 phase of the cell
cycle [63]. Several other chemicals have
been reported to inhibit mitosis [36].
Inhibition of mitotic activities is used for
tracing cytotoxic substances. The
cytotoxic level can be determined by the
decreased rate of mitotic index. A mitotic
index decrease below 22% of negative
control causes lethal effects on test
organism while a decrease below 50%
has sublethal effects [64] and is called
cytotoxic
limit
value.
Several
investigators have used MI as an
endpoint for the evaluation of
genotoxicity or antigenotoxicity of
different chemical treatments [65,66].
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IV.

Chromosomal aberrations (CAs):

CAs are characterized by change in either
total number of chromosomes or in
chromosomal structure which occur as a
result of the exposure of chemical
treatment. To evaluate the different
chromosomal abnormalities, several
types of CAs are considered in different
stages of cell cycle (Prophase, metaphase,
anaphase and telophase). CAs were
grouped into 2 types, clastogenic and
physiological aberrations. Clastogenic
aberrations include chromatin bridge/s,
chromosomal
break/s
and
ring
chromosome/s where as physiological
aberrations include c-mitosis, vagrant/s,
stickiness, delayed anaphase and
laggard/s.
The term c-mitosis was coined by Levan
[3] and described that colchicines
prevents the assembly of the spindle
fibres and results in scattering of the
chromosomes over the cells. There are
number of pesticides which are c- mitotic
agents like mercury, carbamates, dieldrin
etc.
the propham,
chlorpropham,
carbaryl, benomyl etc. are extremely
active c- mitotic chemicals. In
physiological aberrations, frequency of
cells with c- mitosis was found to be
maximum then other aberrations. Several
investigators were able to induce Cmitosis in plant cells using different types
of food additives [36, 50].
In delayed anaphase, the two anaphasic
chromosomal groups lie close to each
other near the equatorial plate. The
frequency of aberrated cells with delayed
chromosomes was very high and
increased with increasing concentration
of test chemicals.
Lagging chromosomes resulted due to
failure of the chromosomes to get
attached to the spindle fibre and to move
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Khanna et al.,1(3);2013

to either of the two poles. Turkoglu [36]

also reported the induction of lagging
chromosomal aberration also called
laggard/s following treatment with food
additives.

damages derived from exposure to

mutagenic chemicals. According to
some authors, MN can be a formed as
a result of acentric fragments or entire
chromosomes not incorporated to the
main nucleus during the cell cycle.
Therefore, any substance that is able
to promote micronuclei formation is
said to be clastogenic or aneugenic
[68]. MN test is considered to be one
of the most promising tests for the
evaluation
of
environmental
mutagenicity/ genotoxicity, since it is
efficient, simple and fast assay Cells
bearing micronuclei were observed at
different stages of cell cycle, although
most of them involved in interphase
and prophase stages. Most often, the
MN observed was synchronic to the
division of main nuclei. However, in
some cases such synchrony was not
present. Based on analyses of human
lymphocytes, some authors have
suggested that the exceeding DNA of
a cell may originate a bud and which
gives rise to a micronucleus and it is
subsequently expulsed as a mini cell.
Mini
cells
constitute
small
cytoplasmatic portions bearing a
small nuclear content. The formation
of micronuclei (MN) in root tip cells
has been widely studied in the
evaluation of various chemical agents
[36].

Stickiness of chromosomes has resulted

from increased chromosomal contraction
and condensation or might from the
depolymerization of DNA and partial
dissolution
of
nucleoproteins.
Chromosome stickiness reflects toxic
effects, usually of an irreversible type and
probably leading to cell death. Same
results are in line with the results of many
research groups that examined the effects
of different chemicals on different
materials
[36,
50].
In
vagrant
chromosome/s, a chromosome moves
ahead of from its chromosomal group
toward poles and leads to the unequal
separation of number of chromosomes in
the daughter cells. Vagrant chromosomes
have been observed by many workers in
different studies [30].
The clastogenic effects were noticed in
the form of chromatin bridge/s,
chromatin
break/s
and
ring
chromosomes. Ring chromosomes are the
result of loss of chromosomes from the
telomeric side. Chromatin bridges could
happen during the translocation of the
unequal chromatid exchange and cause
structural chromosome mutation. This
type of anomaly was also observed in the
mitosis of Vicia faba and Allium cepa
after treatments with food additives [67,
36].
V.

Micronuclei (MN): MN can be

spontaneously originated due to the
development
of
the
isolated
chromosome that results from an
unequal distribution of genetic
material. However, their induction is
commonly used to detect genetic
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VI.

Other abnormalities
Ghost cells were observed by the Celik
and Aslanturk [16] while evaluating the
cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of leaf
extract of Inula viscosa with Allium cepa
test. Ghost cell is a dead cell in which the
outline is visible but nucleus and
cytoplasmic structure is not stainable.
Cell death or apoptosis is a biological
process of living organisms. The cell
death was induced by high concentrations
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Khanna et al.,1(3);2013

of toxic chemicals and other. Univalent

chromosomes may result from low
chiasma frequency or by the presence of
asynaptic or desynaptic genes in
prophase 1 stage of cell cycle. The
presence of binucleated cells was
reported by several investigators in
several genera following chemical
treatments [67]. The occurrence of
binucleated cells was the result of
inhibition of cytokinesis process of cell
division.
4. Conclusion

an easy, fast and very sensitive assay to

detect
environmental
genotoxicity/
antigenotoxicity of chemicals or natural
plant products. This assay is related to
the study of effect of chemicals at the
genetic level which includes both
microscopic
and
macroscopic
parameters.Thus, this test provides an
important method for the screening of
environmental toxicity caused by
toxicants.
Conflict of interest statement: We
declare that we have no conflict of
interest.

From the information provided in the

review, it is concluded that among
different plant assays, the A. cepa test is
Acknowledgments
Authors are thankful to Guru Nanak Dev
University, Amritsar, India for providing
the necessary laboratory facilities for the
work. This research received no specific
grant from any funding agency in the
public, commercial, or not-for-profit
sectors.

3.

4.

5.

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Paulo/ Sao Jose do Rio Preto- SP.
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Cite this article as: Namita Khanna and Sonia Sharma. Allium Cepa Root Chromosomal Aberration
Assay: A Review. Indian J. Pharm. Biol. Res. 2013; 1(3):105-119.

All 2013 are reserved by Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biological Research.

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