Cytogenetic infractions of latex extract of the floristic dumbcane (Dieffenbachia amoena) on mitotic chromosomes of onion (Allium cepa)

Diffenbachia amoena commonly called dumb cane is a houseplant found in homes, offices, banks and landscape premises as ornamental plants. This family of plants has shown high levels of acute and chronic toxicities with high cytogenic, mutagenic, carcinogenic, genotoxic potentials. Several studies had implicated some phytochemicals contained in the whitish latex sap including saponins, glycosides, tannins and oxalates to be responsible for the toxicity of this houseplant to plant cells and proteins.

Cytological investigation protocol was used to determine cytogenetic infractions such as chromosome stickiness, lagging chromosomes, bridged chromosomes, deletions and chromosomal aberrations. The phytochemicals contained in the latex were determined using high performance liquid chromatography while computational biology approach was used to determine the latex phytochemicals interactions with the onion plant proteins using SIB stitch of expasy.org.

Cytogenetic studies reveals that Dumb cane causes significant effect and infractions in the cytogenetics of onion cells ranging from chromatid-type breakage-fusion-bridge, chromosome stickiness, lagging chromosomes, bridged chromosomes, deletions and chromosomal aberrations. The latex sap from the stem contains oxalates, saponins, glycosides, tannins, alkaloids to varying degree which impairs photosynthetic and biochemical processes in the plant system. Phytochemicals-proteins interactions revealed that oxalates impairs and inhibits the formation and functionality of alanine glycoxylatetransferase (GRHPR), Chromobox homolog 5 chromosome (CBX5), alpha ketaglutarate dehydrogenase (AGXT) and glyoxylate reductase (OGDH) genes. Hence, there is need for enlightenment of the public on the dangers and toxicity of this houseplant in rural community households, urban cities, offices, recreational parks, business centers where the use of this deadly plant as ornamental is still very predominant.